From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri May 24, 2002  1:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Clint Miller
 
CLINT MILLER

Born Isaac Clinton Miller, 24 May 1939, Ferguson, North Carolina

One of seven children, Clint Miller came to the fore in Washington DC
musical circles, performing rock and country on WTOP-TV and WMAL-TV.
His musical calling card is "Bertha Lou", a # 79 hit in 1958. The story
behind "Bertha Lou" is an interesting one. The song was originally recorded
by Dorsey Burnette for the tiny Surf label in California. Surf was forced to
withdraw Burnette's disc from the market when he was found to be under
contract to another label and the record was quickly re-issued with a new
vocal track by Johnny Faire (aka Donnie Brooks). Sensing a potential hit,
ABC-Paramount tried to purchase the Surf master from owner Joe Babcock,
but in vain. ABC's A&R man, Don Costa, then decided to rush-record a cover
version by his new signing Clint Miller, recorded at Bell Sound Studios in
New York. The record benefited from a number of nation-wide TV plugs on
Dick Clark's American Bandstand.
Miller made two more singles for ABC before switching to the Washington-
based Headline label in 1959. After finishing law school, he opened a law
practice in 1965 and later entered politics as a Republican member of the
Virginia House of Delegates in 1972.

"Bertha Lou" can be found on the CD "The Golden Age Of American Rock
'n' Roll, Vol. 9" (Ace 800).
See also a previous SAO message:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shakin_All_Over/message/7513