Country Music Hall of Fame Announces Roger Miller: Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder Exhibition
(CMHOF) The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will explore the life and career of Country Music Hall of Fame member Roger Miller in a new exhibition. Roger Miller: Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder follows the story of the musical savant whose multifaceted career earned him a flood of accolades and widespread affection from the public. The exhibit is included with museum admission and runs from Friday, Nov. 6, until March 2028. It is supported by All Access Coach Leasing.
Miller (1936-1992) became a country-pop superstar in the 1960s with self-penned crossover hits like "Dang Me" and "King of the Road." At the height of the British Invasion, Miller won 11 Grammy awards, and he was the first country artist to win a Tony. He was a true renaissance man, mastering multiple crafts as a songwriter, singer, fiddler, guitarist, drummer, film and television star, Las Vegas headliner and Broadway composer.
Recognized for his quick wit, Miller's natural comedic ability was so sharp that Nashville songwriters were known to trail him around town, hoping to collect lines that flew from his mouth. He counted songwriting giants Bill Anderson and Willie Nelson among his closest friends, and has influenced countless others, including John Prine, Toby Keith and Kacey Musgraves.
"Roger Miller was a singular creative force," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "Though considered a musical genius and humorist, his greatest gift may have been his ability to connect with people. He channeled his many sides into fantastically absurd, touching and astute songwriting that still resonates today."
The exhibit will feature a short film produced by the museum and narrated by Country Music Hall of Fame member Marty Stuart. Visitors will see clothing, awards, handwritten notes, song manuscripts, instruments and rare footage of Miller's television appearances and performances.
Examples of items to be displayed include:
Fiddle - When Miller was around 10 years old, musician and actor Sheb Wooley, who was married to Roger's cousin Melva at the time and lived nearby, bought him this fiddle.
Drawing - During his senior year in high school, Roger Miller drew this portrait of one of his musical heroes, Hank Williams.
Army shirt - Miller wore this shirt while serving in the U.S. Army from March 1954 to March 1957. He was stationed in South Korea for a time, where he drove a Jeep and played in a country band with other soldiers.
Guitar - This 1963 Gibson C-1E nylon-string model was Miller's primary guitar for most of the 1960s. He used it to write, record and perform many of his biggest hits, including "King of the Road."
Song manuscript and statuette - The credit card application, on which he started writing lyrics to "King of the Road," and a wood carving of a hobo, which inspired him to finish writing the song, are housed together in a shadow box built by Miller.
Grammy awards - Miller won 11 Grammy awards in 1965 and 1966. In addition to Miller's wins in nine country music categories, "King of the Road" earned him Grammys for Best Contemporary (Rock & Roll) Single and Best Contemporary (Rock & Roll) Vocal Performance, Male.
Hand-written notes - Roger Miller often wrote down song ideas and lyrics on scrap pieces of paper. Mary Miller, Roger's wife, called them his "droppings."
Motorcycle - Miller purchased this Honda CA95 Benly Touring 150 motorcycle in 1965, following his financial windfall with the success of "Dang Me," "Chug-a-Lug" and "King of the Road."
Western shirt - Miller wore this western shirt, designed by Manuel Cuevas, when he performed at a taping of "Roger Miller: A Soundstage Special" at WTTW Studios in Chicago in 1982.
Tony award and tuxedo - Miller won this Tony award for "Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre" for the Broadway musical "Big River," for which he wrote all the songs. The musical won a total of seven Tonys. He wore this tuxedo at the 39th Annual Tony Awards, June 2, 1985.
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