Hazel Hits the Bricks, Again

One of Boulder’s iconic acts hits Pearl Street for her 29th year 

By Dell Bleekman

Hazel Miller has a secret. The popular singer, recently inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, gets just a bit worried if her phone doesn’t ring in mid-January. “Around that time every year, I get nervous if they don’t call and offer us a date,” she says. They would be the good folks who organize a certain summer concert series held on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. “That’s how much I love playing Bands on the Bricks!” she exclaims.

Miller heads Hazel Miller & The Collective, one of the most popular and enduring musical acts on the Front Range. The band has played all over the state and toured the country with its infectious blend of jazz, blues, R&B, and popular music. Miller herself has shared the stage over the decades with such notables as Al Green, Herbie Hancock, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and many others.

Early Years

Performing was Miller’s lifelong dream, though it didn’t come easily. As a child, her Catholic elementary school had no music classes, which was not necessarily an environment for creativity. Other challenges made the dream difficult. “I’m from a family of seven kids, so there was no extra money for lessons,” Miller recalls, “but I remember telling my mother in the third grade I was going to be a singer.”

By the time Miller began her junior year of high school, she was singing professionally. “I used to babysit for a woman who was in a successful band in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and when she left the band, she recommended me,” she says. After doing shows for a few months, she caught the performance bug and hasn’t looked back. “I haven’t had a day job since 1986,” Miller says.

Colorado Music Hall of Fame

Perhaps it’s a testament to her strong work ethic, but in 2023, Miller was in the middle of a busy summer season of shows and didn’t immediately find out she had been elected to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. “In summer, I work four or more nights a week, and I just didn’t know about it!” she exclaims. It was an honor that genuinely humbled her and continues to do so. “Such hallowed company,” she notes, reflecting on the deep roster of talent previously inducted. Pinching herself, she still revels at being in the same company as Dianne Reeves, one of the greatest living jazz singers in the world. Miller loves the plaque commemorating her entry into Colorado’s Music Hall of Fame, but the real joy came when a younger generation voiced approval for the honor—specifically, her grandkids. “They thought it was so cool,” she says.

Bands on the Bricks

Of all the venues Hazel Miller & The Collective has played—and there are many—Boulder’s annual Bands on the Bricks is undoubtedly at the top of the list. Miller loves how knowledgeable the fans are, their high level of engagement, and how they sing along. “People come for the music,” she says, “and they let you know that.” Fans let the band know with their feet. “The biggest single compliment we can get is when fans dance!” Miller exclaims.

Miller is one of just a few performers who have played Bands on the Bricks every year since its inception in 1997. This summer will be her 29th year performing at the event. “We’ve never been rained out, never been rescheduled,” she says proudly. In fact, during the problematic pandemic year, the promoters staged special shows with just two bands performing, Miller’s being one.

Hazel Miller is ready for another packed summer of shows. Not one for being idle; she’s working with the band to keep it fresh. “We want to step out with a brand-new show—something truly wonderful,” she says. This revamp includes new songs and arrangements that will carry them through fall and into 2026. And what might that look like? Find out this summer when Hazel Miller & The Collective strikes its first chord at Boulder’s Bands on the Bricks. And get ready to dance.

For more information and a complete lineup of bands, visit boulderdowntown.com