Buddy Miles
A powerhouse drummer and soul-shouting vocalist who brought volcanic funk to Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys and beyond.
1947–2008 (age 61)·American drummer and singer·Birthday: September 5·Baby Boomers
Biography
Buddy Miles didn't just keep time; he announced his presence with a thunderous, gospel-infused attack on the drums and a voice that could roar. Emerging from the blues circuit, he co-founded the psychedelic soul big band The Electric Flag before catching the ear of Jimi Hendrix. With Hendrix and bassist Billy Cox, he formed Band of Gypsys, a trio that fused hard rock with deep, churning funk. Miles's muscular drumming and shared vocals on tracks like 'Them Changes' provided a earthier, more rhythmic counterpoint to Hendrix's guitar explorations. After Hendrix's death, Miles led his own Buddy Miles Express, scoring a funk-rock hit with 'Them Changes.' His career took unexpected turns, from high-profile sessions with Carlos Santana to becoming the singing voice of the Claymation California Raisins in a wildly popular ad campaign. While commercial fortunes fluctuated, his influence remained solid; his style—a massive backbeat combined with raw, soulful singing—left a permanent stamp on the sound of 70s funk-rock and inspired a generation of players who valued power and groove in equal measure.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Buddy was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Buddy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Buddy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2008Died at 61
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the innovative blues-rock and soul fusion band The Electric Flag in 1967.
- Was the drummer and co-vocalist in Jimi Hendrix's pioneering funk-rock trio, Band of Gypsys.
- Recorded the funk classic 'Them Changes,' which became a signature song for him and was widely covered.
- Provided the lead vocals for the iconic California Raisins Claymation advertising campaign in the 1980s.
Did You Know?
He began his professional music career as a teenager playing drums for blues legends like Wilson Pickett.
He played the drums on the track 'Mississippi Queen' by the band Mountain, though he was not an official member.
His song 'Them Changes' has been featured in numerous films, including 'Jackie Brown' and 'Man on the Moon.'
He was known for his distinctive fashion, often wearing colorful headbands and large rings while performing.
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