Old Mills dream inspired singer

Born in the early 1900s in Ohio, John Jr., Herbert, Harry and Donald Mills were originally known as "Four Boys and a Kazoo" (later, "Four Boys and a Guitar") as they sang in front of their father's barber shop.

Their mother was a music teacher and light-opera singer; their father sang in a quartet. While the brothers were performing in an amateur contest, Harry imitated the sounds of a trumpet after misplacing his kazoo. The Mills Brothers further developed this concept, becoming the first group to imitate the sounds of a band with their harmonic voices.

"They paved the way for Blacks," said Mr. Coughtry. "They did a lot of firsts." Some of these include: being one of the first African American groups accepted by the mainstream society; being the first African Americans to have a network show on the radio; having their first hit, "Tiger Rag," be the only record to sell over one million copies in 1930; and being the first African Americans to perform for the King and Queen of England.

In 1936, the oldest son, John Jr., died. He was replaced by his father, who stayed with the brothers until 1956, at which time they continued as a trio until Harry's death in 1982.

The Mills Brothers released more than 2,200 recordings and sold more than 50 million records. Their hits include "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)," "Paper Doll," "Be My Life's Companion," "Glow Worm," "You Always Hurt the One You Love" and "Up a Lazy River."

(Answers to quiz from main story: "The whole town's talking" and "was a good boy, a nice boy, a swell boy" refer to "The Jones Boy"...."An ocean [they] crossed and a mountain they climbed" are lines from "Till Then"...."Got everyone humming the thing" comes from "Opus One"...."Threw away their troubles and dreamed a dream" refers to "Lazy River"...."Life is just a bowl of gravy" is a lyric from "Window Washer Man"...."Life's companion," "there's joy in living" and "will never grow old" are lines from "Be My Life's Companion.") (PS)

(09-07-00) [[In-content Ad]]