美国名人 乡村音乐歌手 罗杰·米勒.docx
美国名人乡村音乐歌手罗杰米勒RogerMiller,1936-1992:'KingoftheRoad1inCountryMusicplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-16:17repeatByPaulThompson2O1O1O2Photo:ASSOCIATEDPRESSSingerandsongwriterRogerMillerarrivesattheAmericanMusicAwardsin1.osAngeles,1967.(APPhotoZ1.ennoxMcClendon)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:I'mShirleyGriffith.SARAH1.ONG:AndmSarah1.ongwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOP1.EINAMERICA.TodaywetellaboutmusicwriterandperformerRogerMiller.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Thenameofthatsongis"DangMe.*ItwaswrittenandrecordedbyRogerMillerinnineteen-sixty-five.Itwasnotthefirstsonghehadwritten,butitwashisfirsthugehitrecord.Infact,therecordingof"DangMe"helpedRogerMillerwinfiveoftheNationalAcademyofRecordingArtsandSciencesGrammyAwards.OneofthoseawardswastheGrammyforbestnewcountryandwesternartist.Before*'Da11gMe"becameahitrecord,fewpeopleoutsidethemusicbusinessknewthenameRogerMiller.Yethehadbeenworkinghiswaytothetopofthemusicbusinesssincehewasaboy.RogerMillerwonaGrammyawardforbestnewcountryandwesternartist.(MUSIC)SARAH1.ONG:RogerDeanMillerwasbornJanuarysecond,nineteenthirty-sixinthewesterncityofFortWorth,Texas.HisfatherdiedwhenRogerwasonlyoneyearold.Hismotherbecamesicksoonafter.RogerwassenttolivewithhisundeinErick,Oklahoma.RogerMillerhadadifficultchildhood.Mostofhisdayswerespentworkingonhisunde'sfarm,pickingcotton.Hewasalonelyandunhappychild.Rogerbeganwritingsongsbecausehelovedthemusicheheardontheradio.Healsolearnedtoplaytheguitarandtheviolin,sometimescalledafiddle.MuchIaterzhelearnedtoplaythedrums.MusichelpedtheyoungRogerescapethehardworkonhisunde,scottonfarm.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Rogerleftthefarmwhenhewasstillveryyoung.HetraveledfromtowntotownintheWest.Heworkedatanyjobhecouldfindduringtheday.Atghtzhewenttomusicclubsanddrinkingplaceswherecountryandwesternbandsplayed.Theseplacesprovidedhimwithamusiceducation.RogerMillerenteredtheUnitedStatesArmyattheageofseventeen.HewassenttoanarmybasenearAtlanta,Georgia.InAtlanta,heplayedwithamusicgroupcalledTheCircle"A"Wranglers.WhenhelefttheArmyzRogermovedtothehomeofcountrymusicinNashvillerTennessee.Atfirst,hev/orkedinahold.Stonessayhewouldsingthereforanyonewhowouldlisten.Hewongotseveraljobsplayinghisviolin.Andhebeganwritingsongsforothersingers.SARAH1.ONG:Rogerlikedwritingsongs.Healsowantedtoperformhisownsongsonthestage.Herecordedseveralrecords,buttheywerenotpopularanddidnotsellmanycopies.RogerMillerlovedtoperform.Innineteensixt¼Rogerrecordedasongcalled"YouDon,tWantMy1.ove."Today,thesongisbetterknownas"IntheSummerTime,"Itsthefirstsonghewroteandsangthatbecamepopular.(MUSlQ*lntheSummerTime"soldmanycopies.ItshowedrecordcompanyofficialsthatRogerMillerwasagdperformer.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:OnJanuarytenth,nineteensixty-fourRogerMilleragreedtorecordsixteensongs.Oneofthosesongswas,'DangMe/,Itbecamehisfirstnumberonesellingrecord.Itwasahitwithcountrymusicfansandwithpopularmusicfanstoo.Itsoldmillionsofcopies.Anotherfunnysongrecordedatthesametimealsobecameamajorhit.Itiscalled*,Chug-alg,'.(MUSIC)SARAH1.ONG:RogerMillerbecameextremelypopularastheresultofthesuccessof,'DangMe"and*Chug-a-1.ug,*.Hebeganappearingontelevision.Hisrecordssoldbythemillions.Butitwasanotherrecordthatmadehimextremelyfamous.Rogeroftentoldthestoryabouthowhewrotehsmostfamoussong.HeWaSdrivinglateatnightnearthemiddlewesterncityofChicago.Hesawasignneartheroad.Writtenonthesignwerethewords,nTraiIersforSaleorRent."RogerMillerwonaGrammyawardforbestnewcountryandwesternartist.wDangMe"becamehisfirstnumberonesellingrecord.TheWOrdSstayedinhsheadandwouldnotgoaway.1.ater,heusedthosewordsastheopeningofhismostfamoussongz"KingoftheRoad."1.ikemanyofhisothersongsitwaspopularwithcountryfansandwithpopularmusicfansaswell.ItisplayedoftenonradiostationsthroughouttheUnitedStates.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Rocco1.andesmanoncetaughtattheSchoolofDramaatYaleUniversity.HerealtylikedRogerMiller,smusic.Mr.1.andesmanwroteseverallettersaskingIfRogercouldwritethemusicforaplaythatwouldappearonBroadwaynNewYork.ThestorywouldbetakenfromMarkTwain*sfamousbook,ttHuckIeberryFinn."Rogeragreedtowritethemuscfortheshowcalled"BigRiver.,ItopenedonBroadwayinAprilofnineteeneighty-five.Itwasabighit."BigRiver"receivedsevenTonyAwards.RogerMillerwontwoforthemusichewrote.Themostpopularsongfromtheshowiscalled"RiverintheRain."ThesongisabouttheMississippiRiver.Rogersingsithere.(MUSIC)SARAH1.ONG:RogerMillerdiedoflungcancernineteenninety-two.Peoplewhoknewhimsayhissongsexpressedthewayhefeltaboutlife-fullofpureexcitementandjoy.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:ThisSpecialEnglishprogramwaswrittenbyPaulThompsonandproducedbyCatyWeaver.ThisisShirleyGriffith.SARAH1.ONG:AndthisisSarah1.ong.UstenagainnextweekforanotherPEOP1.EINAMERICAprogramontheVoiceofAmerica.