Bettye Miller - Milt Abel Collection

Bettye Miller in her wedding dress with the groom Milt Abel and drummer Terry Basso on either side of her. All are holding small glasses for a toast. Miller and Basso are looking toward the camera...

Bettye Miller (piano), Milt Abel (double bass), and an unidentified drummer perform for a small audience during Miller's birthday party.

Photo of Bettye Miller's birthday cake showing the side.

Unidentified man holding up Bettye Miller's birthday cake to the camera. Another man is partially seen at the side.

A group of five unidentified African American men standing in a row along a wall at Bettye Miller's birthday party.

Night shot of the Maryland Hotel building showing related street-level businesses: an eponymous drug store, the Cloister Inn (nightclub), and The Curve (restaurant); Chicago, Illinois. Two automobiles...

Milt Abel with his dog, Yogi, in a living room with Bill Drybread and his dog. Both dogs are Great Danes. A young boy is crouched down beside Drybread's dog and the arm of another child is just seen...

Milt Able seated on the living room floor with Yogi, a Great Dane. A bookshelf is behind Abel and they're in front of a cabinet with a framed photos and a lamp on top.

Milt Abel playing bass during Bettye Miller's birthday party.

Milt Abel playing bass in front of a wall of photographs at the Mutual Musicians Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri. An unidentified man is seated to the left of the photograph and the hand of a...

Photo of Milt Abel from the side and slightly behind while taking a photo with the camera held up to his eye. The camera has a flash cube tower attached to it.

Milt Abel taking a photograph of an unknown subject. Unidentified white woman is in front of Abel and to the side looking at what Abel is photographing.

Milt Abel with his double bass at Bettye Miller's birthday party. He's looking directly at the camera.

Milt Abel posing for a photo with an unidentified white woman and white man at Bettye Miller's birthday party. All are looking at the camera.

Outside of the Arabian room folder containing a photo of Mr. Bates, Albert Bartee, and Ernie Lewis. The folder is printed in red ink with drawings of a woman in a dress and headdress and a man in a...

Partial view of Bettye Miller's birthday cake.

Unidentified band performing in front of an audience at Bettye Miller's birthday party. All are white men and include a pianist, double bassist, and a drummer. The audience is partially seen from...

Unidentified band performing in front of an audience at Bettye Miller's birthday party. The audience is partially seen. An unidentified man is standing in front of the band, but his role is unclear.

Performers in a line in front of an audience with a band behind them. The photo is taken from behind the audience, which is partially seen. It's unclear exactly what the performers are doing.

Unidentified white woman singing with an unidentified African American male bassist performing in front of an audience during Bettye Miller's birthday party. Photo taken from behind the audience which...

Unidentified white woman singing with an African American male bassist and white male guitarist in front of an audience during Bettye Miller's birthday party.

Unidentified group performing during Bettye Miller's birthday party. A woman is seated and singing into a microphone, a man is playing piano, and a second man has an electric guitar (partially seen)...

Unidentified group performing during Bettye Miller's birthday party. A woman is seated and singing into a microphone, a man is playing piano, and a second man has an electric guitar.

Saxophonist standing in the middle of an unidentified band during Bettye Miller's birthday party. Two audience members are partially seen from behind.

An unidentified man and woman walking along the walkway outside the venue hosting Bettye Miller's birthday party. Both facing the camera, smiling. A row of parked cars can be partially seen at the...