Widow wins legal battle over rights to ‘King of the Road’ and other songs by Roger Miller

Roger Miller’s widow wins song copyright case

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The widow of country music singer Roger Miller has won a protracted legal battle over the copyrights to “King of the Road,” and some of the late artist’s best known songs.

U.S. District Judge William J. Haynes ruled last week that copyright ownership for many of his songs from 1964 onward rests with Marry Miller and Roger Miller Music, Inc.

The songs include “Dang Me,” ”Chug-A-Lug,” and “You Can’t Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd.” Miller, who also acted in and wrote the lyrics and music to the Tony-award winning Broadway musical “Big River,” died from cancer in 1992 at the age of 56.

Mary Miller sued Sony/ATV Publishing in 2004 for the rights to the songs.

The judge also awarded her and the company a little more than $900,000.