Roger Miller
Roger Miller | |
|---|---|
 Miller in 1975 | |
| Born | Roger Dean Miller January 2, 1936 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | October 25, 1992 (aged 56) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Roger Miller Sr. Roger D. Miller Sr. "The Wild Child" |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, actor |
| Years active | 1957–1992 |
| Spouses | Barbara Crow
(m. 1953; div. 1964)Leah Kendrick
(m. 1964; div. 1976) |
| Children | 8, including Dean |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Country, novelty, comedy |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, fiddle, drums |
| Website | rogermiller |
Roger Dean Miller Sr. (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer and songwriter.
He was widely known for his honky-tonk–influenced novelty songs and his chart-topping country hits "King of the Road", "Dang Me", and "England Swings". He grew up in Oklahoma and served in the United States Army. He became a songwriter around 1959, and wrote hits like "Billy Bayou" and "Home" for Jim Reeves, and "Invitation to the Blues" for Ray Price. He recorded songs in the mid 1960s, and continued to record and tour into the 1990s. He charted his final top country hit, Old Friends with Price and Willie Nelson in 1982. He wrote the music and lyrics for the Tony Award winning musical Big River, in which he acted. On Sunday, October 25th, 1992, Roger died from lung cancer. His songs were "Tall, Tall Trees" by Alan Jackson and "Husband and Wives", from Brooks and Dunn, as set in the 1990s. The Roger Miller Museum, which is now closed, in his hometown of Erick, Oklahoma, was a tribute to him.