According to the record books, the song “There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere,” caused the writer, Bob Miller, much embarrassment. To Miller, music was either “hillbilly music” or it wasn’t.  And there was no room for compromise.

By the time his song, “There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere” was into it’s third million in sales, he bought a huge ad in Variety magazine, asking the big name band leaders “not” to play the song. When the song  made the Hit Parade, he even threatened lawsuits if anyone played the song.

To Miller, his reputation in the music business was at stake.

He insisted that the music must have the “common touch” and was truly violated if performed by anyone other than a true son of the soil, and such music must not be streamlined or compromised!

“There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere” became one of the early hits for Elton Britt in 1942. Britt, who was actually James Elton Baker, died in 1972 at the age of 58. 

Doug Davis
Country Music Classics