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The subtitle of Mercury Nashville's three-disc box set King of the Road is "The Genius of Roger Miller," a sentiment that listeners only familiar with his deliberately silly smashes would dispute, but as this three-disc, 70-track set plays out, it becomes clear that this is hardly hyperbole. If genius is a unique voice, either in writing or delivery, Miller certainly qualifies. If genius is an artist who displays a depth and variety of material, Miller fills the bill. If genius is creating a body of work unlike no other, Miller certainly fits the bill. Miller's genius lay in his command of small details, unassumingly witty wordplay, and seemingly effortless songcraft. Apart from "King of the Road," which developed an iconic status separate from his career, his hits were so funny, so easy, that it seemed his music was too light to withstand such an exhaustive retrospective, but that's hardly the case. Miller's hits were often wonderful, often the pinnacle of his talents, but look closer and it becomes clear that they happened to be the songs that were the singles; he often wrote songs that could have been as big as his hits, but weren't released as singles, or were tucked away on records to be discovered by diligent fans. It's a testament to his talent that not all of these are featured on this otherwise comprehensive box set; the 1991 Country Tunesmith collection alone contains many great songs that could have made the cut. They are missed, as are Miller's brilliant songs from Walt Disney's 1973 animated adaptation Robin Hood ("Not in Nottingham" is as lovely as anything he's done), but that doesn't mean that King of the Road doesn't work as a retrospective -- it just means that, like other great artists, he has more than enough great music to fit onto three CDs. The three CDs are filled with wonderful music -- songs that prove Miller is one of the great country songwriters, capable of songs wrenching in either their humor or pain, and one of the most distinctive voices in the genre. Needless to say, it's essential to any serious country collection.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Harold "Pappy" Daily, Producer
℗ 1957 Mercury Records
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Harold "Pappy" Daily, Producer
℗ 1957 Mercury Records
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Owen Bradley, Producer
℗ 1958 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Owen Bradley, Producer
℗ 1958 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Owen Bradley, Producer
℗ 1959 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Faron Young, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1970 Mercury Records
Chet Atkins, Producer - Roger Miller, MainArtist
℗ 1960 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Anderson, ComposerLyricist - Chet Atkins, Producer - Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1961 Mercury Records
Chet Atkins, Producer - Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1961 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Chet Atkins, Producer - Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1963 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dorsey Burnette, ComposerLyricist - Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1966 Mercury Records
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Buddy Killen, Finger Clicking, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Edenton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Miller, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Harold Bradley, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Electric Guitar, Finger Clicking, AssociatedPerformer - Murrey "Buddy" Harman, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Finger Clicking, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISC 2
Buddy Killen, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Miller, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Murrey "Buddy" Harman, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1964 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Buddy Killen, Finger Clicking, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Edenton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Miller, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Harold Bradley, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Electric Guitar, Finger Clicking, AssociatedPerformer - Murrey "Buddy" Harman, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Finger Clicking, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tommy Durden, ComposerLyricist - Mae Axton, ComposerLyricist - Unknown, Unknown, Other - Elvis Presley, ComposerLyricist - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1965 Mercury Records
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1965 Mercury Records
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1965 Mercury Records
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1965 Mercury Records
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1965 Mercury Records
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1965 Mercury Records
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Curly Putman, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Carllile, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISC 3
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Robert Wells, ComposerLyricist - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Grusin, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Roger Miller, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Kennedy, Producer
℗ 1967 Mercury Records
Unknown, Unknown, Other - Bob Russell, ComposerLyricist - Roger Miller, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Moore, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Kennedy, Producer - Tom Sparkman, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1968 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
The subtitle of Mercury Nashville's three-disc box set King of the Road is "The Genius of Roger Miller," a sentiment that listeners only familiar with his deliberately silly smashes would dispute, but as this three-disc, 70-track set plays out, it becomes clear that this is hardly hyperbole. If genius is a unique voice, either in writing or delivery, Miller certainly qualifies. If genius is an artist who displays a depth and variety of material, Miller fills the bill. If genius is creating a body of work unlike no other, Miller certainly fits the bill. Miller's genius lay in his command of small details, unassumingly witty wordplay, and seemingly effortless songcraft. Apart from "King of the Road," which developed an iconic status separate from his career, his hits were so funny, so easy, that it seemed his music was too light to withstand such an exhaustive retrospective, but that's hardly the case. Miller's hits were often wonderful, often the pinnacle of his talents, but look closer and it becomes clear that they happened to be the songs that were the singles; he often wrote songs that could have been as big as his hits, but weren't released as singles, or were tucked away on records to be discovered by diligent fans. It's a testament to his talent that not all of these are featured on this otherwise comprehensive box set; the 1991 Country Tunesmith collection alone contains many great songs that could have made the cut. They are missed, as are Miller's brilliant songs from Walt Disney's 1973 animated adaptation Robin Hood ("Not in Nottingham" is as lovely as anything he's done), but that doesn't mean that King of the Road doesn't work as a retrospective -- it just means that, like other great artists, he has more than enough great music to fit onto three CDs. The three CDs are filled with wonderful music -- songs that prove Miller is one of the great country songwriters, capable of songs wrenching in either their humor or pain, and one of the most distinctive voices in the genre. Needless to say, it's essential to any serious country collection.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 3 disc(s) - 70 track(s)
- Total length: 02:51:51
- Main artists: Roger Miller
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Mercury Records
- Genre: Country
© 1995 UMG Recordings Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1995 UMG Recordings Inc.
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