(Vocals, songwriter, 1936–92)

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Roger Dean Miller wrote and recorded a string of brilliant novelty hits that earned him 11 Grammy Awards, as well as country and pop stardom during the 1960s. Chief among his self-penned songs are ‘Dang Me’, ‘Chug-A-Lug’ – both hits in 1964 – ‘King Of The Road’ and ‘Kansas City Star’, hits in 1965. After a stint in the US Army, where he played fiddle in the Special Forces, Miller got his start in Nashville playing the same instrument in Grand Ole Opry commedienne Minnie Pearl’s road band. In 1958, he was hired as front man for Ray Price’s band and had his first significant success as a songwriter when Price had a big hit with his ‘Invitation To The Blues’ (1958).

Beginning in the late 1950s, Miller recorded for several labels, with limited success. It was only after signing with Smash in 1963 that he scored the first of a long string of crossover hits, starting with ‘Dang Me’. Miller also composed the musical score for the 1974 Walt Disney movie version of Robin Hood. In 1985, he won a Tony Award for his original score for the Broadway musical, Big River, based on the Mark Twain classic, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn. Miller was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1995.

Styles & Forms | Nashville & Beyond | Country
Personalities | George Morgan | Nashville & Beyond | Country