It’s a summer’s day and I’m listening to Roger Miller. I really can’t complain.
Roger Miller is one of these artists who was swept into our pop consciousness by the random nature of British radio and television. Any one of my age (that’s old, folks) can remember almost everything they ever watched on Top of The Pops. Roger’s performance of King of The Road was one of these ones we never forgot. Later in the sixties there was the joy of hearing his voice as the troubadour in Disney’s own version of Robin Hood. In truth I never really got the ‘Disney’ Roger until I had young children and a pile of Disney VHS tapes. Oh the unknown joys of parenthood.
Later this year we’ll bring a wonderful conversation we recorded a few months ago with Jerry and Gordon Kennedy. Jerry, the man who produced many of Roger’s records and Gordon, his gifted ace guitarist son, have the best collection of Roger Miller stories I’ve heard so far. (*Puts hand on chest...’I’ve had little Jimmy Dickens up to here.*) Roger Miller was one of that great group of writers hanging out at Tootsie’s in the early 60’s which included Harlan Howard and Willie Nelson. Gordon remembers his father changing one of Roger’s B sides to an A on the basis of his brother and he dancing around the living room to the acetate pressing. Music was simpler in these days!
There’s a new album of Roger Miller songs coming out this month and we’ll play you a gorgeous duet featuring two country greats from that record. The album is called King of The Road – a Tribute to Roger Miller. His old friend, Willie Nelson too has a significant anniversary as well as a new album of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra. We’ll give you a little taste of both of these things this Tuesday.
After the excitement of Southern Fried I’m delighted to be in the studio with a pile of old and new records- including some vinyl this week. Beautiful cuts from Tiny Ruins, Cordovas, Sam Morrow, Lee Ann Womack and the man who will be supporting on her visit to Scotland in September, Charlie Worsham. We’ll discover why there’s not one but two albums available from Jim Lauderdale this August and will hear more from that fine Sons of Bill record as a little taster for the band’s visit to Glasgow this coming weekend.
There’s going to be so many good things coming your way on the old AC over the next few months I thought I’d freshen up the Radio Blog too. Hope you like the new look. Always glad of your comments which you can add in. As ever we’ll be live this Tuesday at five past nine and repeated on Friday at 8. You see, it must still be summer. Join me if you can on BBC Radio Scotland FM.
