From the Vault: High Tea with Mrs. Miller

This week on From The Vault we dig deep inside our vault to present one of our gems of High Kitsch, the words and music of Mrs. Miller.

In 1966, Mrs. Miller rose to stardom as an unlikely pop-music sensation who sang off key and out of rythym. Having relocated from Dodge City, Kansas to Claremont, California she connected against all odds with the folks at Capitol Records, recorded an album, and became an instant phenomenon – to the tune of 250,000 copies sold in three months – a pretty big deal for the late Sixties!

WBAI producer Richard Lamparski, who hosted the series “Whatever Became of…” couldn’t resist interviewing Mrs. Miller as she visited New York in 1966 to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. Lamparski intersperses his interview with several tracks from Mrs. Miller’s first record, including covers of The Beatle’s “A Hard Days Night” and Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking.”

Those of you who remember Mrs. Miller and her music are going to be surprised with the interview and the storytelling of this delightful entertainer. Those of you who have not yet heard the song stylings of Mrs. Miller, you are in for a real treat. In fact, while researching for this program we found ourselves pressed to recall a recording that compares to the curiosity and intimacy of this little gem – a true Pacifica classic!

Curious Fact: Signed copies of Mrs. Miller first record “Mrs. Miller’s Greatest Hits” would raise more money for WBAI during the 1966 fund drive cycle than any other “thank-you” gift that year…

From the Vault is proudly presented as part of the Pacifica Radio Archives Preservation and Access Project.