~~Tunes For The Troops~~
Want more information about the artists we play?
Perhaps you'd like to buy concert tickets or their
CDs? Click the links provided at the top of the
thread for more information!
~~Tunes For The Troops~~
Want more information about the artists we play?
Perhaps you'd like to buy concert tickets or their
CDs? Click the links provided at the top of the
thread for more information!
A word from our sponsor.
The group was originally composed of four brothers, all born in Piqua, OH. They were John (1910-36), bass vocalist and guitarist, Herbert (1912-89), tenor, Harry (1913-82), baritone, and Donald (1915-99), lead tenor. The boys began singing in the church choir. After their music lessons at the school, they would gather in front of their father’s barbershop to sing and play the kazoo to passers-by.
They entered an amateur contest, but while on stage, Harry discovered he had lost his kazoo, so he cupped his hands to his mouth and imitated a trumpet. The success of his imitation led to all the brothers taking on instruments to imitate and created their early signature sound. John accompanied the four-part harmony first with a ukulele and then a guitar. They practiced imitating orchestras they heard on the radio: John the tuba, Harry the trumpet, Herbert the second trumpet and Donald the trombone. They entertained on the Midwest theater circuit, at house parties, tent shows, music halls and supper clubs throughout the area and became well known for their close harmonies, mastery of scat singing, and their ability to imitate musical instruments with their voices.
In 1928, the brothers accompanied the Harold Greenameyer Band to Cincinnati for an audition. The band was not hired, but the Mills brothers were. They quickly became local radio stars and got their major break when Duke Ellington played a date in Cincinnati. When the boys sang for Duke, he had them brought to New York for a signing.
In 1930, William Paley of the new CBS Radio network in New York turned on his office speaker and listened to an audition of the boys. When Paley heard them, he immediately went downstairs and put them on the air. The next day, the Mills Brothers signed a three-year contract and became the first blacks to have a network show on radio.
Their first recording, a cover of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band standard “Tiger Rag”, became a national hit. They were a success on CBS in 1930-31 when they co-starred on “The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour” hosted by Rudy Vallee. They had their own popular radio series in 1932-33, one of the earliest built around a black act. Before their show announcers commonly explained to listeners that the only instrument was a guitar, as the vocal effects made many listeners think they were hearing a muted trumpet, saxophone and string bass.
(GENTLE HUG & CHASTE SMOOCH)
You feeling better these days? I've been busy, as you can see.