But on Tuesday evenings, the commute gets even longer.

Instead of turning off I-75 to go home, Miller drives to Marietta to rehearse with the Song of Atlanta Show Chorus, where she’s a member of the Sweet Adelines, an a cappella female chorus that has long excelled in international competition.

“We have people who come from all over to practice each week,” says Miller, who has sung in Sweet Adeline choruses for 16 years, in cities like Cleveland, Detroit Chattanooga, and now Atlanta.

“It’s just like anything that you enjoy so much. We’re willing to do what we need to do to make it work.”

From 7:30 until 10:30 each Tuesday, she and more than 100 other singers practice “barbershop-style” songs in four-part harmony.

“We’re really very different from the image a lot of people have of barbershop-style choral groups,” says Miller, who says the quality of singing is very professional and that newer songs – not stereotypical barbershop songs – are being performed these days.

Songs like “Blue Skies,” “A Wink and a Smile,” and “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” are included in their repertoire, as are the more traditional songs like “Red, Red Robin,” and “There Goes My Heart.”

“In our performances, we’re judged not only on our sound, but also on our choreography and dancing,” she says. “There’s a whole lot of showmanship and costuming that go into our shows.”

For Miller, who has loved singing since she was a young girl, being in a large, diverse women’s chorus is extremely rewarding.

“We have women of all ages and backgrounds, from high school students to young mothers to women in their eighties, who form a wonderful support group,” she says. “It’s just fun. The best part is when you’re performing in front of a large group and they love it. It’s an emotional high.”

The Song of Atlanta Show Chorus is currently the Heart of Dixie Regional Champion in a region that includes Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and parts of Tennessee and Florida. In October they will compete in International Competition in Las Vegas. In 2002, the group finished eighth in the world in International Competition, she says.

“At that level, the competition gets really steep,” she says. “That’s one reason why we practice so much during the year. We usually put on a show or two a year, but we spend most of our time getting ready for competitions.”

Miller doesn’t just sing in the chorus. She also serves as its Vice President and as a member of the Regional Management Team for Sweet Adeline choruses. And she’s very proud of the fact that the Song of Atlanta Show Chorus has recently cut their fourth CD, a collection of tunes called Ooh La La, The Can Can Album.

“To be able to sing in a chorus at this level, and to sound and produce like we do, is just amazing. When I’m able to sit back and watch the rest of the chorus perform, I just can’t believe the sound and the professionalism of this group. It’s really wonderful.”