MItch Miller - RIP

[Smokin' Toaster]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj

If you're an old fart like me (52) you might remember sitting around the black and white TV in the early 1960's watching "Sing along with Mitch" on one of the 3 or 4 channels that you could pick up iwth your rabbit ear antennas.

[Ed Fuqua]

And for those who only know Mitch through "Sing Along..." he was also a studio and radio arranger; he was the arranger for the recording CHARLIE PARKER WITH STRINGS (also played oboe on that date" and was one of the first TV shows to break the color barrier (which is another pretty funny Milt Hinton story).

[Exploiter8]

This 51 year old fart remembers, too.

X8

[jumbosilverette]

52 and I remember him as well: he sold a lot of records and it's sad his day came and went.

[gm2_in_co]

Kind of feel like the cited article speaks disrespectfully of the dead. Anyone else get that impression?

I'm shocked to find out he was still alive actually. I'd have thought he passed decades ago.

[Pilgrim]

Mitch was very popular in the 50's and 60's. I remember it well! R.I.P., Mitch.

[jumbosilverette]

Originally Posted by gm2_in_co

Kind of feel like the cited article speaks disrespectfully of the dead. Anyone else get that impression?

I'm shocked to find out he was still alive actually. I'd have thought he passed decades ago.

Well it wasn't reverential, but obits about the famous (especially those who have left the public eye) rarely are. As a footnote, I'm glad he made Sinatra sing along with a dog.

[SurferJoe46]

I remember him well on ouir old Dumont TV in the black and white days.

Some of his exploits:

..........he performed with David Mannes, Andre Kostelanetz, Percy Faith, George Gershwin and Charlie Parker.[2]

..........(he managed) - Patti Page, Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, Ray Conniff, Percy Faith, Jimmy Boyd, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, and Guy Mitchell (whose pseudonym was based on Miller’s first name), and helped direct the careers of artists who were already signed to the label, like Doris Day, Dinah Shore and Jo Stafford, to just name a few. Miller also discovered Aretha Franklin and signed her to her first major recording contract.

Miller also was responsible for not pursuing certain artists and tunes: he disapproved of rock 'n' roll, and passed on Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, who became stars on other labels. (He had offered Presley a contract, but balked at the amount Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was asking.)

Despite his distaste for rock 'n' roll, Miller often produced records for Columbia artists that were rockish in nature. Songs like "A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)" by Marty Robbins, and "Rock-a-Billy" by Guy Mitchell are just two examples.

I remember my parents siting in the living room with one of his albums (33 1/3 RPM) playing on the Hi-Fi record player and the words to the songs were printed inside the covers and they had neighbors over to "Sing Along With Mitch".

Simpler times, certainly.

[Jerry Ziarko]

I played a Morning AM TV show in the late 80's with MM as the other guest. He was born in the same city where I live. I remember him being gracious, but not overly friendly. More than likely, he probably hated our band. :

[bassteban]

46 & remember my folks had a few albums of his- probably still do. RIP

[blubolt]

RIP

[Richland123]

I was just talking about Mitch Miller a few weeks ago and how he was still alive. I watched his TV show every week as a little kid. It is amazing how many different types of musical and variety shows were on TV back in my childhood and had an influence on my varied musical tastes and appreciation as well as my desire to be a musician.

[MEKer]

"Yes, we have no bananas..."

[shadowtippy]

"Follow the bouncing ball..."
RIP

[Richard Lindsey]

"Be kind to your webfooted friends
For a duck may be somebody's mother"

I remember that show fondly as well.

I had not known that he was the arranger for Parker with Strings. Interesting.