Search - Ned Miller :: From a Jack to a King

Poor Shy Talented Ned

Eclectic Revisited | Arizona | 02/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ned Miller was responsible for the composition of "Dark Moon" recorded by the underappreciated Bonnie Guitar and also Gale Storm. Not much later Ferlin Husky (most notably) had a hit with "A Fallen Star". Ned finally got his recognition from the rerelease of "From A Jack to A King" that he had recorded during the same period as when the others had hits with the songs he had penned. Here you get to hear his version of "Dark Moon". His "Invisible Tears" is a cleverly-written, well-performed song also done up instrumentally by Ray Conniff and studio singers the same year. A heart-tugging "One Among the Many" went unappreciated but Ned still would occasionally have a song hit the charts. He did not like public performances however and reportedly was not well-promoted by record companies when he refused to tour. Born in 1925, Ned finally left the public arena and was last known to be living in Las Vegas. This package is well worth having and transcends being simply "country music"."

31 Songs - Eleven Hit Singles - Six Of Them Missing

Peter Durward Harris | 09/12/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Clearly, this compilation offers only the songs Ned recorded while under contract to the Fabor label between 1957 and 1965. Then again, these WERE his best years as a performer.



Born Henry Ned Miller at Raines, Utah on April 12, 1925, he made a big splash as a songwriter in 1957 when Gale Storm and Bonnie Guitar both had smash hits for the Dot label with his Dark Moon, and Bonnie also scored that same year with another Miller-penned hit, Mister Fire Eyes.



Ned also released two singles that year for Dot, including the original version of From A Jack To A King. Neither, however, charted, and before the year was out he had transferred to Fabor. Success as a performer didn't come there either, at least not for a number of years, although Roll O'Rollin' Stone should have sold better, in my humble opinion.



In fact, it wasn't until he tried again with From A Jack To A King in late 1962 that his own records began to sell and be heard/played in chart numbers. In February 1963 it peaked at # 2 Country and # 6 Billboard Pop Hot 100 b/w Parade Of Broken Hearts, and he was on his way. Later that year he scored again with One Among The Many (# 27 Country in June b/w The Man Behind The Gun), and Another Fool Like Me (# 28 Country in September b/w Magic Moon). The following year Invisible Tears became a # 13 Country hit for Miller in June, and a # 131 Hot 100 "Bubble Under" b/w Old Restless Ocean, while on the pop charts The Ray Conniff Singers took it to # 54.



In 1965 he had another crossover with Do What You Do Do Well, which peaked at # 7 Country and # 52 Hot 100 pop in February b/w Dusty Guitar. At the same time, Ernest Tubb took it to # 29 Country. The royalties were really rolling in as other artists such as Hank Snow, Leon McAuliff, Jean Shepard, and Porter Wagoner were also recording his songs, with the biggest hit being scored by Sonny James who had a # 1 Country in 1965 with Behind The Tear.



It was also in 1965 that Miller moved to Capitol Records where he would chalk up another five charters - none of which, unfortunately, appear in this compilation. These were Whistle Walkin' (# 28 Country in 1965 b/w Two Voices, Two Shadows, Two Faces), Summer Roses (# 39 Country in July 1966 b/wRight Behind These Lips), and Teardrop Lane (# 48 Country in November 1966 b/w Lorraine). In 1967, Hobo went to # 53 Country in May b/w Echo Of The Pines, and Only A Fool stalled at # 61 Country in February 1968 b/w Endless. After switching to Republic Records his last charter was in 1970 when The Lover's Song rose to # 39 Country in May b/w Cold Grey Bars. It too is missing from this set.



Although it would have been nice if this CD had included ALL his hits, as I said earlier those that are included were definitely his best and, in addition, you get all of the Fabor B-sides. It would appear that the missing gems are not yet available on CD, so if you want to hear them you might have to search out Amazon's auctions for the 1966 Capitol LP, The Best Of Ned Miller, and Republic's Ned Miller Is Back, released in 1970. Good luck."