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Roger Miller was one of country music's most prolific
singer/songwriters who sadly passed away on October 25, 1992 after
suffering from throat cancer. Roger left us a wealth of songs that
have continued their popularity through the current faze of
Nashville pop-induced conveyer-belt music.
It was 1956….just out of the army, 20-year-old Roger
Miller was auditioned by Chet Atkins who had just taken over as
head of RCA's Nashville production. Miller was so nervous that as
he played Atkins' guitar in one key he sang in another. Roger
failed his audition with RCA and took a job as a bellhop at
Nashville's Andrew Jackson Hotel. He worked as a sideman playing
fiddle for Minnie Pearl and drums for Faron Young. In 1957 George
Jones helped him land a short-lived record deal with Starday where
he recorded "Tall Tall Trees". While working on the
Grand Ol Opry, Miller met Buddy Killen who worked for Tree
Publishing (owned by Ray Price). Liking his songwriting, Killen
signed Miller to Tree Publishing and helped him get a recording
deal with Decca. No hits came for Miller, but Killen liked the
song "You Don't Want My Love",
written by Roger and recommended Miller to Chet Atkins at RCA.
Second time around for Roger Miller, he recorded "You
Don't Want My Love", complete with jazzy scat-singing
that made the country Top 20 in 1961 and became Roger Miller's
trademark.
Roger Miller wrote the expressive ballad "When
Two Worlds Collide" with Bill Anderson, giving Miller
his first Top 10 hit in 1961. Under producer Chet Atkins, Roger
tried the rocking "Burma Shave",
"Trouble On The Turnpike"
and "Every Which-A-Way",
but unfortunately the hit wouldn't materialize. Continuing Roger
recorded Bill Monroe's "Footprints In
The Snow" with an edgy mid-tempo and gave his own
"Hitch-Hiker" a great
dramatic moody feel by the inclusion of a bow drawn across a
double bass and a haunting pedal steel. His friendship with Willie
Nelson and a brief fling with Willie's first wife Martha is
portrayed in "Sorry Willie".
One last minor hit for Roger's time at RCA came with "Lock,
Stock and Teardrops", making #26 in 1963 shortly
before Miller left RCA. A turn of events came with several goofy
songs on Mercury Records in 1964, with "Dang
Me" staying 6 weeks at #2 on the country charts,
followed by "Chug-A-Lug"
making the Top Ten in both country and pop charts and "King
Of The Road" became what must be his best known and
covered song, winning Roger Miller five Grammy Awards in 1965 (all
courtesy of Sony).
This is a marvellous collection of Roger Miller's early
recording career, including both his madcap and his more sensitive
compositions. Platinum & Gold Collection
Roger Miller…an asset to any record collection!!!
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