The Worst Singer of All Time

November 19, 9:23 AMLA Vinyl Records ExaminerJason Gelt

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Mrs. Miller's debut LP on Capital Records 

She sprang from the verdant valley of Claremont, California, a portly fifty-nine year old grandmother who resembled Winston Churchill with hair and sang like chalk screeching willy nilly across a blackboard. Using the prosaic stage name of Mrs. Miller she enthusiastically performed warbly rock and pop standards like "A Hard Day's Night" and "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" as well as atrocious compositions of her own such as "Gonna Be Like That." Briefly, from the summer of 1966 through the fall of 1967, she bestrode the pop culture clouds. Among other achievements, her cover of Petula Clark's "Downtown" reached number 82 on the Billboard charts, she sold 250,000 copies of her debut album on Capital Records, had a cameo in a major motion picture, and rubbed shoulders on the boob tube with the likes of Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan, Art Linkletter and Jimmy Durante.

It's not really fair to characterize her as the worst singer of all time. Frankly, I'd rather listen to Mrs. Miller than Jewel or Alanis Morissette. But she did sing very poorly, so poorly, in fact, that many listeners will be compelled to feel guilty for laughing at the tuneless old dame's bizarre vocal antics and distinctive whistling solos. According to the various histories, she may or may not have been in on the joke, but whatever the case she willingly participated in the self mockery. And for good or ill, she firmly cemented her place in the colorful pantheon of pop music history.

The bottom line is that, like the best karaoke crooners, Mrs. Miller meant what she was doing. Though her skills were minimal, she performed with ample heart and good humor. Her garbled operatic stylings were sincere efforts to entertain people, and entertain people she did. Collectors still eagerly seek out her few albums and singles, which remain coveted novelty record icons, and neophytes can rarely contain their amazement and mirth when a Mrs. Miller cut is unleashed upon them. She is a reminder that surprising, unusual and rough-edged things can still happen in a processed, pre-packaged world such as ours. Were she alive today, she would become a YouTube sensation, garnering more clicks than Tay Zonday, the "Chocolate Rain" guy.

Mrs. Miller Discography:
Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits (1966)
Will Success Spoil Mrs. Miller?! (1966)
The Country Soul of Mrs. Miller (1967)
Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing (1968)
Ultra-Lounge: Wild, Cool & Swingin', The Artist Collection Vol. 3: Mrs. Miller (1999, compilation)

Get a dose of her special brand of musical magic in this clip from the feature film, "The Cool Ones:"