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ALBUMWorld Broadcast RecordingsThe Mills Brothers
Albums by The Mills Brothers
ALBUMWorld Broadcast RecordingsThe Mills Brothers
ALBUMWonderful Words Of Life: The Inspirational RecordingsThe Mills Brothers
ALBUMPaper DollThe Mills Brothers
ALBUMThe Board of DirectorsThe Mills Brothers & Count Basie
ALBUMThe Board of Directors Annual ReportThe Mills Brothers & Count Basie
ALBUMGreat Hawaiian HitsThe Mills Brothers
ALBUMMerry ChristmasThe Mills Brothers
ALBUMGreat HitsThe Mills Brothers
ALBUMLouis Armstrong And The Mills BrothersLouis Armstrong & The Mills Brothers
ALBUMSouvenir AlbumThe Mills Brothers
Artist Playlists
The Mills Brothers Essentials
They broke down social barriers with their jazz harmonies.
Artist Biography
The Ohio-born Mills Brothers were a vocal quartet with roots going back to early jazz and barbershop harmony, but their innovative style, which initially utilized vocal approximations of instrumental sounds, was one of the key influences on '50s doo-wop. Harry, Donald, Herbert, and John Mills started performing in the '20s, accompanied only by a guitar, as they used their voices to imitate saxophone, trumpet, bass, et al. Their intricate harmonies and unique approach scored them hit after hit in the '30s and '40s, as well as roles in numerous movie musicals. In the '50s, they switched to a more conventional band-backed format and the huge hits ("Glow Worm," "Opus One," "Smack Dab in the Middle") continued. Various versions of the group continued performing into the '80s, until Donald became the only surviving member (he died in 1999).
Hometown
Piqua, OH, United States
Genre
Jazz