After moving to Los Angeles, in 1933, he formed his own band, the Solid Senders, with Camille Howard on piano. He performed in local clubs and began recording in the 1940s, his first release being "Milton's Boogie" on his own record label. His big break came in 1945, when his "R.M. Blues", on the new Juke Box label, became a hit, reaching number 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 20 on the pop chart. Its success helped establish Art Rupe's company, which he shortly afterwards renamed Specialty Records.
Milton and his band became a major touring attraction, and he continued to record successfully for Specialty Records through the late 1940s and early 1950s. He recorded a total of 19 Top Ten R&B hits, the biggest being "Hop, Skip and Jump" (number 3 R&B, 1948), "Information Blues" (number 2 R&B, 1950), and "Best Wishes" (number 2 R&B, 1951). He left Specialty in 1955. However, releases on other labels were unsuccessful, and with the emergence of rock and roll his style of music became unfashionable by the middle of the decade.
He continued to perform, appearing as a member of the Johnny Otis band at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1970, and he resumed his recording career in the 1970s with albums for Kent Records (Roots of Rock, Vol. 1: Roy Milton, Kent KST-554) and for the French label Black & Blue Records (Instant Groove, Black and Blue 33.114).
Milton died in Los Angeles on 18 September 1983, aged 76.
A cover version of his song "Reelin' and Rockin'" was recorded by the group Rocket Sixty-Nine for their 1996 album Jump Shot!
Original 10" shellac (78-rpm) and 7" vinyl (45-rpm) singles
"I'll Always Be in Love with You" / "To Be Alone Blues" (Hamp-Tone 101), 1945
"Early in the Morning" / "Bless Your Heart" (Lou Wa 1002 and Warwick 549), 1960
"R.M. Blues" / "Best Wishes" (Warwick 591), 1960
"Red Light" / "So Tired" (Warwick 662), 1961
"Come Home When You're Thru" / "Baby, You Don't Know" (Cenco 109), 1961
"I Wonder" / "Hop-Skip-Jump" (Cenco 112), 1961
"I Can't Go On" / "Thelma Lou" (Cenco 114), 1962
"How Was I to Know" / "Blue Jean Shuffle", B-side by Plas Johnson (Cenco 118), 1962
"Driveway Blues" / "I'm Forgetting About You" (Thunderbird 104), 1962
"You Could Have Kissed Me Goodbye" / "Have It Your Way" (Movin' 131), 1964
"Miss You So" / "A True Confession" (Safe! 580), 1969
"One o'Clock Jump" / "My Blue Heaven" (Club Time 1001), 1970
"Always Want You Around" / "Change Your Ways" (Space 310), 1972
LP and CD releases of note
Milton recorded for several small labels. All known releases are listed.
Roy Milton & His Solid Senders (Specialty 7008; Ace CHD 308), LP, CD
Groovy Blues: Roy Milton & His Solid Senders, Vol. 2 (Specialty 7024; Ace CHD 435), LP, CD
Blowin' with Roy: Roy Milton & His Solid Senders, Vol. 3 (Specialty 7060; Ace CHD 575), LP, CD
The three volumes listed above include recordings by Milton and his band for Specialty Records between 1947 and 1953, plus the four recordings he made for Juke Box Records in 1945.
Dootone Rock 'n' Rhythm and Blues (Ace CHD 839), LP, CD, sampler of various artists who recorded for Dootone, including all of Milton's Dootone tracks
The Chronological Roy Milton 1945ā1946 (Classics, Blues & Rhythm Series 5041), CD, including his four recordings for Hamp-Tone, his four recordings for Juke Box, and the numerous recordings he made for his own Roy Milton and Miltone labels before he signed with Specialty Records in 1947
Roy Milton's Miltone Records Story (Acrobat ADDCD 3016), two-CD set, including 1946ā1948 recordings from Milton's own specialty labels (Roy Milton, Miltone, Ace, and Foto), with various vocalists and instrumentalists backed by Milton and his band; also includes outside source material licensed from DeLuxe Records and distributed by Miltone
Instant Groove, 1977, recorded in Toulouse, France