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For everyone who has ever sung “King of the Road” at the top of their lungs without knowing the second verse.

This week on Once Around the Country, Gary Scott Thomas looks back at the remarkable life of one of the most unpredictable minds in country music, Roger Miller.

He wrote “Dang Me” in four minutes, recorded 16 songs in a single day, won a Grammy for “King of the Road,” and won seven Tony Awards for Big River.

But the accomplishments only tell part of the story.

Gary takes a closer look at the funny, restless, complicated man behind the music and how a poor kid from Erick, Oklahoma, became the songwriter Bill Anderson called the closest thing to a genius country music had ever had.

Best known for “King of the Road,” “Dang Me,” and “Husbands and Wives,” Roger Miller had a rare gift for turning heartbreak, humor, human nature, and the strange little observations of everyday life into unforgettable songs.

This is the story of Roger Miller, the music he left behind, and the remarkable mind that created it.

In This Episode:

• Why Roger Miller Is Country Music's Forgotten Genius
• Roger Miller's Childhood in Fort Worth and Erick, Oklahoma
• How Sheb Wooley Taught Roger Miller to Play Guitar
• Roger Miller's Army Years and the Move to Nashville
• The Chet Atkins Audition That Almost Went Wrong
• How Roger Miller Wrote Dang Me in Four Minutes
• The Story Behind King of the Road
• Why King of the Road Won a Grammy Over Yesterday
• Marriages, Addiction, and the King of the Road Inn
• How Roger Miller Wrote the Big River Score
• Roger Miller's Death and His Most Heartbreaking Quote
• The Husbands and Wives Story From Waylon Jennings
• Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Roger's Best Lines

This episode is sponsored by:

Dignity Memorial

Sterling Oak Cabinetry

Bio:

Roger Miller was one of country music’s most original voices, a gifted songwriter, musician, performer, and storyteller whose wit was as memorable as his music. Best known for timeless hits like “King of the Road,” “Dang Me,” and “England Swings,” Miller brought humor, heart, and an unmistakably unconventional style to country music. His career stretched from Nashville honky-tonks and television to Broadway, where his music for Big River earned him a Tony Award. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995, three years after his death, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence musicians and storytellers today.

Website: https://rogermiller.com/

Tags: Roger Miller, Roger Miller podcast, Roger Miller documentary, Roger Miller story, Roger Miller biography, Roger Miller country music, Roger Miller songs, King of the Road, King of the Road Roger Miller, Dang Me, Dang Me Roger Miller, Husbands and Wives Roger Miller, Big River Roger Miller, Roger Miller songwriting, Roger Miller songwriter, Roger Miller genius, forgotten country music legends, country music history, classic country music, country music podcast, country music legends, Nashville songwriting, greatest country songwriters

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