Your albums link reminded me of just how many times his albums were released by off-name companies. I'm sitting here looking at names like Bear, Laserlight, Hilltop, K-Tel, etc. It's enough to make your head spin, especially when someone is trying to make a purchase. (Also, how all of this relates to copyright laws).
Lyle, do you know anything about this website that Eagle9 linked? I'm wanting to order that Bear CD but haven't yet simply because I don't want to get ripped off. From what I understand, the Bear CD has many of Roger's early releases and is one of the few that are not repetitious.
In fact, let me put you further on the spot, here. ;) If you were going to advise someone on which 2 or 3 Roger Miller CDs to buy, which ones would you say?
THIS one, for sure, which would be my personal choice for #1 (but not from Amazon):
King Of The Road: The Genius Of Roger Miller [BOX SET]
(It's much cheaper at his official website)
One last thing, just because I feel like venting: It's truly maddening to me that his early albums have not been remastered and released. There's one of them where he sang all those songs he wrote for other people (George Jones, Faron Young, etc.). "A Trip in the Country," I think. It may be on the ones you mentioned earlier from the '70s, I don't know.
Anyway, for whatever reason, they haven't been remastered to CD, which is why Roger Miller has largely been forgotten to an entire generation of younger people. He's arguably the best songwriter of all time, and my kids probably don't even know who he is.
Which reminds me... When they come home to visit, I'm hiding my Roger Miller CDs or they may disappear!!
First off, everyone NEEDS the 3 disc Roger box set King of the Road - The Genius of Roger Miller, especially discs 2& 3 - amazing stuff!! There are a few unreleased songs from albums that were lost (Treat Me Like A Human, What Are Those Things...). I can't explain how good that stuff is. Roger literally became my favorite singer/songwriter of all time after listening through the box set (competing with my favorites Waylon, Wille, Johnny, Bobby Bare, Merle, Elvis and Alice Cooper). Roger went right to the top of the list.
I'd also recommend the Best of Roger Miller IMPORT - 30 songs, most alternative versions. Buddy Killen told me he didn't like this CD because Roger was out of it and not into it, and you can hear it. They aren't quite as good as the original but they are really enjoyable plus there are a few songs on there that I haven't seen released previously. Great Value, worth getting after the box set.
If you don't have it, you need to hunt down "Uncle Harvey's Plane" - amazing track, there are 2 versions released from the studio, one you could tell Roger was on another world when he cut it, awesome. I do that song at most of my shows and people really seem to enjoy it, in fact, much more than the material I write :( It wasn't written by Roger but he made it his own.
There was a Readers' Digest CD set released a few years ago, lots of really good material, the only place I can find it occassionally is on Ebay. That's one worth picking up.
I haven't had much problems ordering online. So I would recommend getting that BEAR Family one (ebay is probably the cheapest but check amazon), they did a really nice biography written up in there and released many of songs that are awesome that didn't appear on the box set. There's easily enough solid material for there to be a second box set.
There's another "greatest hits" CD released I'm told with the same 10 or 12 songs from every other greatest hits CD but this one comes with a DVD with just interview clips. I haven't seen it yet but I hope to soon, I'm told it's good.
FYI, Ebay is a pretty safe place to buy from IF you buy from someone who has a high rating and quite a few sales (I'd say anything over 50 with a score of 95% or higher is worth buying from).
Which reminds me... When they come home to visit, I'm hiding my Roger Miller CDs or they may disappear!! Now you know them good ol' Texas boys you raised wouldn't do nuthin' like 'at.
I'm wanting to order that Bear CD but haven't yet simply because I don't want to get ripped off.
I'll be your Huckleberry.
Seriously, I just ordered that Bear CD from ARTISTdirect.com and you can wait to see if and when I receive mine before you order, if you like. I can tell you this much. The shipping & handling was $4.60 and it takes two days to process an order before it is 'handled' and shipped. I checked the Bear Family Records home web site and they have that CD available for about $3.00 less but from what I can tell, they are located in Germany and probably have the same shipping rates. A couple of years ago I ordered several Boogie Woogie CDs by Axel Zwingenberger fro Germany and the shipping rate was $5.00 per CD. I almost didn't order the one where Axel plays solo piano, as always, but his brother Torsten Zwingenberger joins in on drums. I couldn't resist and ordered four Zwingenberger CDs. That was before Amazon started carrying Axel's CDs (great boogie woogie piano). But, I digress. I'll let you know when I receive the Roger Miller Bear CD.