Roger Miller is most often remembered for writing and singing the kind of country songs that make you smile and tap your feet. King of the Road, Chug a Lug, and Dang Me come to mind. Miller also wrote more than a few songs that would pull at anyone’s heart strings: When a House is not a Home, When Two Worlds Collide, and Husbands and Wives.
In the early 80s Miller was asked to write the broadway score for the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. A quote from rogermiller.com offers a glimpse of how the invitation reached Miller:
“The key man was Rocco Landesman, a former Yale professor at the Yale School of Drama who happened to be the world’s #1 Roger Miller fan. “I thought he was an absolute genius,” Landesman says. On the way to a New York appearance by Roger at the Lone Star Cafe, Landesman conceived the notion that Miller ought to write a Broadway score – and the Adventures of Huckelberry Finn would be the perfect vehicle. He approached Roger’s wife, Mary, after the show. She encouraged him to write a letter to Roger with the idea. Roger jokes, “He made me an offer I couldn’t understand.” Nevertheless, Landesman wrote a number of letters to Miller and about a year later had him convinced he was the right man for the project. Roger was off on another new journey. Landesman commissioned William Hauptman to adapt Twain’s book and the project was underway.”
Turns out Landesman knew what he was talking about-Miller won a Tony Award for the musical score for the play Big River.
Recently Chitter’s been singing one of the songs Miller wrote for Big River. It’s another one of those that will pull on your heart. The song is strikingly beautiful in it’s simplicity.
I hope you enjoyed the song and the history!
Tipper
*Source: rogermiller.com
TIPPER BEAUTIFUL MUSIC FROM A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INSPIRATION YOU PROVIDE FOR ME. ALLEN SMITH WILDWOOD MISSOURI. DO THE GIRLS TEMEMBER THE CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT.
Not sure why, I wasn’t able to open the blog for a while… Anyway…. Loved the song!
MIGHTY FIIINE!!!
Nicely performed! Great emjoyment for a crispy Sunday.
Tipper,
I’ve heard you talk before about
how Chitter bellows it out. This
was a chance to show Chitter’s
beautiful, but strong voice. I love
The Pressley Girls’ videos…Ken
Type in: “youtube”
Type in: “The Pressley Girls You Ought to be here with me.” This video will come up. Click on the title.
When the video starts find “+Add to” and click on it. Find “Create new playlist” at the bottom and click on it. Name your new playlist.
Now go to the upper left corner where it says YouTube and click on the icon that looks like three lines with a down arrow beside it. Your new playlist should be there with “You Ought to be Here with Me” as the only item. Then every time you find a new Pressley Girls song you like find the “+Add to” and put it in your playlist. Then if Tippers music isn’t working you can go to youtube and listen to your playlist.
We love Roger Miller and Chitter too!Chatter, we love you too!! She did an amazing job with this song, and I am always blown away by the Pressley Girls talent. They just keep on getting better and better!
Tipper: That Chitter ‘put it on’ in great style and I loved every minute.
I hope our paths will cross again soon. I have a date on 11-08 and 11-15 over in GA,passing through your territory. Maybe the STARS (Chitter & Chatter) will be aligned so we can see them again BEFORE they go to YHC!
Eva Nell
Tipper,
and Ed…I watch the videos, but don’t comment every time. I will start doing that myownself as well! I miss the music, too!
I would love to hear the girls sing, “Walking in the Sunshine”…one of my favorites as well as the song, “Little Green Apples” that was written for Roger Miller, love, love, love that one of love!…Of course, I always loved “England Swings”…LOL… a singing advertisement for a visit to England!
There are so many of his songs I love…I tend to like the happy songs!
I am serious when I say I can’t remember “You Ought To Be Here With Me”…I guess I was under a rock somewhere when he came out with that one…Chitter did a great job with the song, looking over at Chatter as if she might join in the chorus! So now I will be listening to it more!
Thanks Tipper,
PS…Did you get any snow or just a “skif”?
It is sunny here today, but cold!
The play based on Twain’s novel was called Big River. I took my Ma to see it when a road company brought it to Cleveland a long time ago. We both were Mark Twain fans, and Millers score was great, and we had a wonderful evening. Thanks for reminding me of this show.
Please ask Paul is that one of Red Smiley’s runs he uses in guitar solo part of the song?
I saw this video a couple of weeks ago on youtube and commented that I was speechless. I’m not anymore! I looked today and they had only 85 views and half of those were me.
If you are a reader of and a listener to the Blind Pig then where are you. If we don’t support these young women and Paul, Pap, Tipper and the gang they will go away. So, after you listen to the song, go to youtube and subscribe and listen to them a few dozen times. If every reader could do just one view today the number should go up to about 2000. I can put it over 100 by myself. Some people say that the number of views don’t mean much but it does to Paul and Tipper and especially the Twins. Show them how much you like them and the kind of music by subscribing to their channel and viewing a few times. Right now with the player down would be a good time to do it. Come on folks!
What a beautiful clear voice! Thanks for the history on the song. I found it very interesting.
For those of you who share my predilection for Pressley music, a temporary solution while Tipper works out all the kinks connected with getting it on the blog is simple. Just Google “The Pressley Girls” and then go to the audio/video selections which will pop up (abut half way down the first page on my computer). You’ll have a couple dozen opportunities for enjoyment.
Jim Casada
P. S. If this sorely challenged soul can figure out the necessary technology anyone can!
Really excellent!
Very nice job,, Daily and Vincent did their version that I always enjoyed also…