Press Photos
Roger Miller: Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder: Press Photos
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Downloadable Artifact Photos
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Fiddle
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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.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Drawing
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During his senior year in high school, Roger Miller drew this portrait of one of his musical heroes, Hank Williams.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Army Shirt
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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.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Guitar
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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.”
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Song manuscript and statuette
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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.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Grammy awards
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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.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Hand-written notes
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Roger Miller often wrote down song ideas and lyrics on scrap pieces of paper. Mary Miller, Roger’s wife, called them his “droppings.”
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Motorcycle
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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.”
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Western shirt
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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.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Tuxedo
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Miller wore this tuxedo at the 39th Annual Tony Awards, June 2, 1985.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Tony award
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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.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum