Steve Miller Plays “The Joker” Live with John Mayer at MSG Ahead of His 80th Birthday

Two celebrated guitarists from two different generations teamed up at Madison Square Garden on October 3, as John Mayer welcomed Steve Miller as his special guest at his first of two scheduled solo shows at the New York venue this week.

As seen in fan-shot YouTube video, the duo thrilled the crowd with an acoustic rendition of Miller’s signature tune “The Joker,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart back in 1973. In addition to accompanying Miller on strummed acoustic guitar, Mayer also added some harmonies vocals and a deft solo to the performance.

Steve Miller Band will commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Joker with the J50: The Evolution of The Joker box set 

J50 is available to preorder now in two-CD, three-LP (plus bonus 7") and digital formats. Miller is previewing the collection with "The Joker Suite," which showcases his musical journey to the album's chart-topping title track and includes the previously unreleased songs "Lidi" and "Travelin'." (UCR)

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"The most important rule that every kid out there who wants to make a record should remember is: When you go into the studio, be ready to do the whole performance the first time you do it because that's going to be the best time you do it," Miller noted in a press release announcing the set. "The whole thing is to capture the first performance. That's a lot of what The Joker's about. It was all first takes, and first takes are always better than perfect takes."

Steve Miller Band, 'J50: The Evolution of the Joker' Vinyl Track Listing
LP1 SIDE ONE
Steve Miller Commentary 1
Children of the Future (Live)
Brave New World (Live)
Dear Mary (Live)
Space Cowboy (Live)
Ginger Man (Live)
Nothing Lasts (Live)

LP1 SIDE TWO
Steve Miller Commentary 2
Sugar Babe (Early Version)
Sugar Babe (Live)
Sugar Babe (Album Version)
Mary Lou (Early Version)
Mary Lou (Album Version)

LP2 SIDE ONE
Steve Miller Commentary 3
Hat (Live – Pre Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma)
Say Hey Ray (Pre Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma)
White Elephant (Pre Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma)
Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma (Early Version)
Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma (Album Version)

LP2 SIDE TWO
Steve Miller Commentary 4
Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash (Early Version)
Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash (Album Version)
Lidi (Twang Guitar)
Lidi (Studio)
Lidi/Travelin’ (Harmonics - Looking for a Chorus for The Joker)
Travelin’ (Looking for a Chorus for The Joker)
The Joker (Album Version)

LP3 SIDE ONE
Steve Miller Commentary 5
Lovin’ Cup (Live)
Lovin’ Cup (Album Version)
Come On In My Kitchen (Live)
Come On In My Kitchen (Album Version)
Evil (Studio Demo)
Evil (Album Version)

LP3 SIDE TWO
Steve Miller Commentary 6
Coupe De Ville (A Cappella)
Something to Believe In (Early Version)
Something to Believe In (Tough Crowd – Live)
Something to Believe In (Album Version)
I Don’t Mind (Hotel 4-Track)
I Don’t Mind (Studio)
Mama Church (A Cappella)

7” SIDE A
The Joker (Single Version)
Lidi/Travelin’ (Harmonics - Looking for a Chorus for The Joker)

7” SIDE B
I Don’t Mind (Studio)
Lidi (Studio)