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."

He died in Nashville, Tennessee at age 57.

Published songs

*"After Loving You"
*"Burn Me Down" (with Don Sessions)
*"A Church, a Courtroom & Then Goodbye"
*"Down Came the Rains"
*"Hungry For Love"
*"I Loved and Lost Again"
*"I Love You Honey"
*"Jesus, Let Me Write You a Song"
*"Playboy"
*"Release Me"
*"Release Me (From My Sins)"
*"Thanks a Lot"
*"There She Goes"
*"This Old Heart"
*"Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray"

External references

* [http://www.nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com/fame/millere.html Biography on Nashville Songwriters' Foundation site]