Steve Miller and keyboardist Barry Goldberg founded the Goldberg-Miller Blues Band along with bassist Roy Ruby, rhythm guitarist Craymore Stevens, and drummer Lance Haas after moving to Chicago to play the blues. The band was signed to Epic Records after playing many Chicago clubs. Their only release was a 45 rpm single on Epic Records, "The Mother Song."

They appeared on Hullabaloo with the Four Tops and the Supremes, and gigged at a Manhattan club. Steve Miller moved to the burgeoning San Francisco scene and formed the Steve Miller Blues Band. When they signed with Capitol Records in 1967, they shortened their name to the Steve Miller Band. The quartet of guitarists Miller and James Cook, bassist Lonnie Turner and drummer Tim Davis (who replaced the departing Lance Haas on drums) backed Chuck Berry at a gig at the Fillmore West that was released as a live album. Guitarist Boz Scaggs joined the band soon after and the group performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in June. Their debut album Children Of The Future was recorded in England and released in May 1968. The album had no hits and didn't make the Top 100 album chart, but standout tracks are the acoustic tune "Baby's Calling Me Home" and funky blues number "Steppin' Stone". Closing the album is a slow, sleepy groove on the blues standard "Key To The Highway". The Steve Miller Band's second album Sailor appeared in October and climbed the Billboard charts to #24.

Miller's audience expanded with each album: Brave New World (#22, 1969) featured the hit "Space Cowboy", and the track "My Dark Hour" which featured Paul McCartney (aka Paul Ramon) on bass, Your Saving Grace (#38, 1969), Number 5 (#23, 1970).

Steve Miller suffered a broken neck after a car accident, and Capitol Records released the album Rock Love in 1971. The album featured unreleased live and studio material and is one of two of Steve Miller Band albums not to be released on CD, the other being Recall the Beginning... A Journey From Eden. In 1972, the double album compilation Anthology was released, featuring 16 songs from the band's first five albums.

The Joker (#2, 1973) revealed a new Steve Miller Band. The sound was slick and bouncy, and the title track became a #1 single. The album was certified platinum for over 1 million sales.

Three years later, the Steve Miller Band returned with the album Fly Like An Eagle, which charted at #3. Three singles were released from the album: "Take The Money and Run" (#11), "Fly Like an Eagle" (#2) and their second Number One hit, "Rock 'N Me".

Book Of Dreams (#2, 1977) also included three hits: "Jet Airliner" (#8), "Jungle Love" (#23), and "Swingtown" (#17). 1982's Abracadabra album gave Steve Miller his third Number One hit with the title track.

Miller recorded sporadically but has not released a new album since 1993's Wide River.

Released in 1978, The Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits 1974-1978 has sold over 13 million copies and Miller continues to perform successful sold-out concert performances.