Originally from Chicago, legendary Motown songwriter Ron Miller (1932–2007) wrote numerous hit songs including "For Once in My Life," "Touch Me in the Morning," "Heaven Help Us All," "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday," "I've Never Been a Woman Before," "A Place in the Sun," "Someday at Christmas," "One Little Christmas Tree," "Everyone's a Kid at Christmas Time," "I've Never Been to Me," "If I Could," and many more.
Ron's songs have sold in the hundreds of millions with recordings by some of the biggest artists of all time, including Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Michael Bublé, and Celine Dion. His songs have been reimagined for every generation in every genre, from artists like Justin Bieber, LeAnn Rimes, Jackie Evancho, and Noah Cyrus to Lizzo, Samara Joy, Brandy, Christina Aguilera, and Ron's own grandson, hit songwriter and singer Oliver Richman.
Ron's songs have been featured in numerous top-grossing films and on countless television shows throughout the decades, as well as in major ad campaigns by the largest global companies and brands.
Ron earned numerous RIAA gold and multi-platinum records and multiple BMI awards. His songs have won several Grammy Awards, including in 2005 for "Heaven Help Us All," the last song recorded by the legendary Ray Charles, and in 2025 for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Me," the Samara Joy recording (originally released by Stevie Wonder on his one and only Christmas album) — a song Ron wrote for his daughter, Lisa.
Miller's classic standard, "For Once in My Life," is Motown Records' most recorded song and is one of the most recorded songs in history, period — having been recorded by over 600 major label artists. In 2007, "For Once in My Life" won multiple Grammy Awards for the Tony Bennett/Stevie Wonder collaboration. In 2009, "For Once in My Life" by Stevie Wonder was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The song's 50th Anniversary release was all in the family, with the recording by Oliver Richman (and video) produced by Lisa Dawn Miller.
Ron received Motown's Heroes and Legends Award (posthumously) in 2007, a lifetime achievement award in songwriting.
Miller wrote the book and lyrics to many musicals including "Daddy Goodness," "Clothespins & Dreams," "Satchmo," and "Cherry" (based on William Inge's "Bus Stop"), and produced several hit recordings including "I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene.
Ron's greatest love was his wife, Aurora, whom he met as a child and married in 1963 when they reunited in Chicago as adults. She remained his wife for 44 years until his death in 2007. Together, they had two children, Angel and Lisa Dawn Miller. Aurora was a composer, pianist, and soprano. She and Ron wrote musicals together and numerous songs, including "Everyone's a Kid at Christmas Time," originally recorded by Stevie Wonder.
Lisa is developing a new musical about her father and mother entitled "A Place in the Sun." She is the Managing Partner of Ron and Aurora Miller Legacy Songtrusts, heading up the management of her father's iconic song catalogue and his legacy.
