former cowboy stuntman
Jerome Miller – former cowboy stuntman
Jerome Miller was a former stuntman at the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Jerome was born to Bryan and Trish Miller in Carrington, North Dakota, a small town with no stop lights and a population just a little couple of sunsets over 2,000. He grew up on a bison ranch, his first job was opening and closing corral gates at a very young age. When he was seven years old, his cousin Bo gave him a harmonica. He would carry it with him everywhere and annoy everyone as much as possible. Evidently, the bison didn’t mind.
Jerome performs with Cayman Smith-Martin and the Mango Men celebrating the life and music of Key West favorite son Jimmy Buffett
Music and melody were a constant connection in his early life. Jerome remembers his mother Trish watching a Hootie & the Blowfish music video that was on VH1, and he began playing along with the melody. Trish was impressed with her son’s musical talents. He learned to sing in the local churches. There were no formal schools so he was mostly homeschooled.
Later they moved off the ranch to a Jamestown, a larger city. At age 15, Jerome and a friend started playing music together. That’s when he knew he wanted to be a professional full-time musician. Music was important and he knew it wasn’t going to happen in North Dakota so, in 2000 at age 17, Jerome took off hitchhiking trying to find himself. He traveled to Idaho and Oregon.
In 2010, Jerome returned to Medora, North Dakota and worked as the maintenance manager and stuntman for the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame during the summer season. He could twirl pistols really well. His family told him about the Key West music scene and suggested he should check it out.
During his myriad of travels, Jerome only had one music theory lesson from friend, Sid Ordoyne who worked at a music shop in Oregon. Their first gig together was a 2011 New Year’s Eve performance in BZ Corner, Washington near the White Salmon River. Several years later, Sid discovered through a Facebook posting that Jerome was performing at Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West. He sent Jerome a message and they hooked up. Sid moved to town and the two formed a duo called Dogwater and have been performing for the past five years in Key West.
When Jerome first arrived, he made friends very quickly. He began performing with Bo Fodor, Robert Douglas, Turner Harrison, the late Yvan Agbo, Caffeine Carl and several others at the original Alamo.
Jerome performing at the 2019 Joe Pepper’s celebration of life.
Ten years ago, Jerome was told country music probably won’t be that popular in Key West. He predominantly performs traditional old school, outlaw country, and a few favorites like Whitey Morgan. Fast forward, one of the most successful new music festivals is the Mile Zero Fest, termed the Red Dirt Country music festival, which is held every January. However, Jerome doesn’t feel we need another sub-genre of country music based on geography. He feels it’s like saying prosecco isn’t champagne because it’s not from the Champagne region.
Jerome still covers country songs but also performs a fair amount of Blues and pop tunes performing with a variety of musicians. One of Jerome and Sid’s biggest fans of the Dogwater duo is from the United Kingdom. Dogwater played 4 days a week, the early shift 1pm – 4pm, for over five years at the former Smokin Tuna Saloon. The owner of a pub in Shrewsbury, United Kingdom, would stream performances via the “Tuna Cam” and project Dogwater’s show live in his pub. The fans would text requests for music and tip through Venmo.
Jerome Miller and Wynn Taylor duo – Wynn&Rome
Jerome enjoys performing with Jerrod Isaman and helped formed the band, Billy the Squid and the Sea Cow Drifters. They loved the same sound and had similar visions touring together in the summer. It was steady work for over three years but now each has moved on to other music projects. They still get together for special gigs. The entire Billy The Squid band is booked for a big birthday party and are flying to Texas for a reunion gig.
When first arriving in Key West, Jerome was only half interested in Jimmy Buffett music. The Cayman Smith-Martin’s tribute to Jimmy Buffett in 2023 was something special and really changed his opinion. Jimmy Buffett knew Cayman was performing that first tribute and was very supportive. After he passed, it became a much more passionate endeavor for Cayman & the Mango Men. Jerome now feels it’s one of those performances that once a year, musicians really get to enjoy and celebrate Key West’s favorite son, Jimmy Buffett. He feels when you have something that is truly special “you want it to carry the weight of its worth.”
Jerome’s cat Kenny became sick and in serious danger. It was going to be a big expense just before last Christmas when he was a bit short of cash for expenses. Jerome started hunting for new gigs to raise some extra funds to pay the veterinarian. A wealthy friend discovered why he was pursuing so many new gigs and working so hard, and one day, Jerome discovered he simply had no more veterinarian bills. Today. Kenny is a thriving happy cat. That’s how we role in Key West.
Jerome’ personal philosophy includes an idiom that if you became a musician for the money, you became a musician for the wrong reason. He likes connecting with people, eye to eye, feeding directly off the energy a live audience brings. He can still twirl a pistol pretty good.
You can catch the Dogwater duo of Jerome and Sid on Thursdays at Captain Tony’s noon to 4pm then later at Margaritaville 5-8pm. Saturdays Jerome performs with Wynn Taylor (Wynn & Rome) at Captain Tony’s noon to 4pm then Margaritaville from 8-10. Sunday they’re at the Alamo 6-9pm.
Jerome Miller performing at Captain Tony’s
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