 While at high school , Miller formed a trio that played at cocktail parties . His elder brother recommended that he listen to pianist Oscar Peterson , but there was no way of doing this in Greenwood until Peterson appeared on The Joey Bishop Show on television when Miller was about 14 . After watching Peterson 's performance , Miller decided to become a pianist : " It was a life changing event . I knew right then that I would be a jazz pianist " . Miller later mentioned Art Tatum and Erroll Garner as piano influences during his teenage years . Miller reported years later that he always found that playing fast was easy , so playing slowly and with more control were what he had to work hardest on . 
