Roger Miller (1936–1992) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor, best known for his honky-tonk-style country music. He wrote and performed a number of chart-topping songs, including “King of the Road,” “Dang Me,” and “Chug-A-Lug.” He also wrote and starred in the Broadway musical Big River, for which he won a Tony Award. Miller was a multi-instrumentalist and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in the 1990s.
| Name | Roger Miller |
| Genre | Country, Rockabilly, Pop |
| Instruments | Guitar, Banjo, Piano, Harmonica |
| Date of Birth | January 2, 1936 |
| Voice Type | Tenor |
| Notable Awards | Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, Country Music Association Awards |
10 Best Roger Miller Quotes
“Whether it’s country or rock ‘n’ roll, I don’t care. I just like a good song.”
– Roger Miller, from Guitar World
“People are always asking me to do a song about the King Of The Road. I tell them, I am the King Of The Road.”
– Roger Miller, from NPR
“I was with a large publishing company and I got to work with a lot of people. I’d write a song, and they’d say, ‘That’s not country.’ I’d say, ‘Well, here’s another one.’ And they’d say, ‘That’s not country.’ I’d say, ‘Well, here’s another one.’ And then they’d say, ‘That’s not country.’ That’s when I figured out what country was.”
– Roger Miller, from Music Radar
“I started writing songs when I was about five years old. I was always a songwriter first and a singer second.”
– Roger Miller, from All Music
“I never tried to be anything I wasn’t. I’m just a guy from Oklahoma who happened to write a few songs.”
– Roger Miller, from Rolling Stone
“I don’t see any difference between rock ‘n’ roll and country. Music is music.”
– Roger Miller, from Rolling Stone
“I wanted to write songs that made people laugh, that made people cry, songs that said something.”
– Roger Miller, from Nashville Scene
“When I wrote ‘King of the Road,’ I thought it was gonna be a flop. I thought it was too weird.”
– Roger Miller, from Nashville Scene
“I’ve been told I write country, but it’s not country. It’s music. I don’t try to write a country song. I just write a song.”
– Roger Miller, from NPR
“I was never comfortable being blatant or preachy. I want to make people laugh.”
– Roger Miller, from Rolling Stone
4 Roger Miller Quotes About Mission of Burma
“I think Mission of Burma is a band that was ahead of its time and actually defined what a lot of bands would later become.”
– Roger Miller, from NPR
“We were way ahead of the curve in terms of a lot of people who are playing now, who are playing the same kind of music, but with a lot more finesse.”
– Roger Miller, from NPR
“We have the same kind of chemistry that we had when we were young. We had the same kind of chemistry when we were together again, and it’s just been great.”
– Roger Miller, from NPR
“We were looking to make something that was a little bit different. We had a lot of ideas that we wanted to try and experiment with, and we had a lot of creative energy.”
– Roger Miller, from KCRW
8 Inspirational Roger Miller Quotes
“I’d rather be lucky than good.”
– Roger Miller, from Houston Press
“My aim is to get the music across, not to show off.”
– Roger Miller, from All Music
“I don’t think you can ever get too famous.”
– Roger Miller, from Houston Press
“I just try to pick something that will tell a story.”
– Roger Miller, from The Guardian
“I think you have to be your own worst critic.”
– Roger Miller, from Who Sampled
“I can’t say I’ve ever written a bad song.”
– Roger Miller, from All Music
“I write songs that I think people will like.”
– Roger Miller, from The Guardian
“I’m just a songwriter trying to make a living.”
– Roger Miller, from Who Sampled
6 Famous Roger Miller Quotes
“You can’t really plan a career. It’s something that takes you where it takes you.”
– Roger Miller, from Grammy.com
“I’ve never met a man I didn’t like.”
– Roger Miller, from Country Stars Central
“If I can make people feel good for a few minutes, then I’ve done my job.”
– Roger Miller, from Biography.com
“I wanted to be a comedian and a singer. I figured singing was a lot easier than doing comedy.”
– Roger Miller, from Country Music Hall of Fame
“My songs are never very serious. I feel that if you can lighten a person’s burden, you’ve done a good job.”
– Roger Miller, from CMT.com
“I don’t even remember writing some of those songs. I just woke up and there they were.”
– Roger Miller, from Rolling Stone
8 Roger Miller Quotes About Love
“Love is a great thing, and it ought to be celebrated.”
– Roger Miller, from Grammy.com
“Love was a big part of my life. I loved the people I worked with.”
– Roger Miller, from CMT.com
“I don’t think there’s any way to get too much love.”
– Roger Miller, from CMT.com
“I think it’s good to love somebody and be loved.”
– Roger Miller, from Grammy.com
“I think love is the most beautiful thing in the world.”
– Roger Miller, from CMT.com
“I think love is a great thing, and I don’t think there’s any way to get too much of it.”
– Roger Miller, from Grammy.com
“It’s nice to be able to love somebody and be loved.”
– Roger Miller, from CMT.com
“Love is a beautiful thing and it needs to be celebrated.”
– Roger Miller, from Grammy.com
6 Roger Miller Quotes About Life
“Life is just a bunch of little moments that you add up.”
– Roger Miller, from Youtube
“Life is too short to be anything but happy.”
– Roger Miller, from Youtube
“Life is too short to worry and fret and hurry.”
– Roger Miller, from Legacy.com
“I don’t think life should be taken seriously.”
– Roger Miller, from Youtube
“Life is too short to worry about the little things.”
– Roger Miller, from Youtube
“Life is too short to not be happy and to not go out and have a good time.”
– Roger Miller, from Youtube
8 Quotes About Roger Miller
“He was a songwriter who could plumb the emotions of the common man without ever insulting his intelligence.”
– Dolly Parton, from Rolling Stone
“Roger Miller’s music was a musical gumbo, a combination of country, blues, folk, rockabilly, and jazz.”
– Dave Samuelson, from AllMusic
“He was a master of words, and he had a way of putting them together that was like a painter’s brush.”
– Kenny Rogers, from The New York Times
“His music was so distinctive that it seemed not to fit in any of the existing genres, so it created its own.”
– The Boot, from The Boot
“He was a master of wordplay and comic timing.”
– Bruce Eder, from AllMusic
“Miller’s classic compositions were based on his ability to find humor in the mundane, and tell stories in a way that was uniquely his.”
– CMT, from CMT
“He had a way of making fun of the serious and serious fun of the mundane.”
– Charlie Rich, from Rolling Stone
“He was the consummate showman, a songwriter’s songwriter, and a master of the classic country music form.”
– Billboard, from Billboard
Interview with Roger Miller
Frequently Asked Questions About Roger Miller
1. What is the most famous quote from Roger Miller?
Roger Miller was a celebrated musician and songwriter, who won 11 Grammy Awards and 3 Country Music Association Awards. He is best remembered for his witty, humorous lyrics and catchy tunes, and his most famous quote is:
- “Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.”
This quote conveys Miller’s unique ability to find humor and levity in even the most mundane moments. It’s a reminder to take the time to appreciate the small things in life, and to take life’s obstacles in stride. It is perhaps one of the most widely quoted of Miller’s many quotes.
2. How did Roger Miller Become Famous?
Roger Miller became famous by his unique style of music, which combined country, rock, folk and blues. Miller had a knack for writing humorous songs and his music often featured clever word play. Here are some milestones in Miller’s career:
- Miller’s first charting single, “When Two Worlds Collide,” debuted in 1959.
- In 1960, Miller won two Grammy awards for his song “Dang Me.”
- In 1965, Miller won three more Grammys for his song “King of the Road.”
- In 1966, Miller was named the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year.
- In 1967, Miller won four more Grammys for his song “England Swings.”
- In 1969, Miller won a Golden Globe award for his song “Little Green Apples.”
- In 1970, Miller won an Academy Award for the song “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Miller’s success continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s with hit songs like, “Husbands and Wives,” “Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life,” and “Chug-a-Lug.” Miller’s songs have become timeless classics and he continues to be an inspiration to many songwriters.
3. What genre of music did Roger Miller write and perform?
Roger Miller was a multi-talented artist who wrote and performed songs that spanned a variety of musical genres, including:
- Country music
- Country-pop
- Rockabilly
- Folk
- Blues
- Bluegrass
- Pop
He was known for his unique blend of all of the above genres and his witty, clever lyrics. He won multiple awards during his career, including eleven Grammy Awards, three Country Music Association Awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards.
4. What awards did Roger Miller win?
Roger Miller was a highly acclaimed musician who achieved success both as a singer-songwriter and actor. He was recognized for his achievements with several awards, such as:
- 11 Grammy Awards
- Country Music Association Awards
- Academy of Country Music Awards
- American Music Awards
- Comedy Awards
- Grammy Hall of Fame Award
- Hollywood Walk of Fame star
- Country Music Hall of Fame
Roger Miller was posthumously inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. He was also honored at the Country Music Association Awards in 2005 with a tribute performance by Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Lee Ann Womack.
5. How did Roger Miller influence the music industry?
Roger Miller was an influential singer-songwriter, who left a lasting mark on the music industry. His unique sound, witty lyrics and memorable voice created a style that was all his own. Here are some of the ways he has influenced the industry:
- He wrote and performed some of the most iconic songs of the 1960s and 1970s, including “King of the Road” and “Dang Me”.
- He innovatively combined elements of traditional country, honky-tonk and rock & roll to create a new style of country music.
- He wrote songs that were both humorous and heartfelt, setting a new standard for storytelling in country music.
- He won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording and a Country Music Association award for Entertainer of the Year.
- His influence can still be heard in the music of today, with many modern country artists citing him as an inspiration.
Conclusion
Roger Miller was a beloved and highly respected artist who left an indelible mark on the music industry. He was an innovator in the genre, blending traditional country music with rock, jazz, and blues. His unique sound, combined with his witty and humorous lyrics, have inspired generations of fans and musicians alike. His life was tragically cut short, but his music and his legacy continue to live on. His words of wisdom and his ability to connect with people through his music will always be remembered.
