In 1965 Roger Miller released "King of the Road," the song that would become his best-remembered hit. His first two releases were "Dang Me" and "Chug-a-Lug." They both were major country-pop crossover hits landing in the top 10 on both charts.
In 1964 in need of cash, he signed a contract with rising label Smash Records. After relatively little success as a recording artist, Roger Miller lost interest in his music career and was dropped from his recording contract. He signed a recording deal with Decca in 1958, but it would be six years before he would become both a country and pop star. Roger Miller gained his first music industry success as a Nashville songwriter in the 1950s. it was performed at both her funeral and the funeral of producer Chet Atkins. "The End of the World" reached #2 on both the country and pop charts and became Skeeter Davis' signature song. It is accompanied by a dramatic key change and straddles the sound of modern country music and teen idol pop.
Featuring the piano work of Floyd Cramer, Skeeter Davis' recording of the song includes a spoken section in addition to her singing. She returned to the music business in 1958 and became a solo country star.Īrthur Kent and Sylvia Dee wrote "The End of the World" inspired by Sylvia Dee's sorrow at her father's death. She performed with Betty Jack Davis' sister Georgia as The Davis Sisters for three more years before deciding to get married and retire from the music business. The pair were involved in a car accident in 1953 that killed Betty Jack Davis, Skeeter Davis' singing partner. She first hit the country charts as one half of the duo The Davis Sisters. Mary Frances Penick was better known as country singer Skeeter Davis.