Eddie Miller (songwriter)

Edward Monroe "Eddie" Miller (December 10, 1919 – April 11, 1977) was an American songwriter, in the country music genre.

He was born in Camargo, Oklahoma and worked as a locomotive engineer before becoming a songwriter. Although he never went beyond high school, he taught songwriting at the University of Tennessee.

His first published song, written in the mid-1930s, was "I Love You Honey." In 1946, he wrote what was to become his biggest hit, "Release Me," though at first he could not get anyone to record it. Eventually he recorded it himself, and it was covered by several singers and became a big hit.

He was the founder of the Country and Western Music Academy in Hollywood, as well as a co-founder of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (of which he served as the first president and also another term in the presidency).

He received Performance Awards from Broadcast Music, Inc. for "There She Goes" (1954), for "Thanks a Lot" (1964), and "Release Me" (1954, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, and 1973, as well as a Most Performed Song award in 1968 and a Pop & Country Performance Award in 1974).

His publisher, Four Star Publishing, gave him platinum records for "Release Me" and "There She Goes."

The Oklahoma Music Association awarded him the All Time Great Songwriter's Award.

He wrote a country opera, "The Legend of Johnny Brown," and a gospel opera, "It Was Jesus."

"Legend of Johnny Brown" was a concept project that may have been years ahead of its time. It was released on Tower Records. This project featured Kay Adams as Mary Lou, Ray Sanders as Sheriff Tom, Alice Rene as Jezebel Jones and Jerry Naylor as Johnny Brown.

Eddie Miller pitched this project to Capitol Records, with a demo version he had already recorded with Alice Rene performing all of the female vocals. Eddie Miller actually wanted Alice Rene for the Mary Lou character but, Capitol Records went with Kay Adams. Eddie Miller pressed the label to use Alice Rene and secured her the part of Jezebel Jones. The irony is, that the only recorded version Kay Adams had to learn this music, were the original demos previously recorded by Alice Rene.

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