Happy Birthday Mitch Miller! I wish I knew how to get in touch with this musical icon. He was born July 4, 1911 and is apparently still alive. I would love to say "thanks".
His music is alive and well here at "The Nostalgic Rambler." Young whippersnappers of today may not realize that he had many albums that were in the top selling charts of the day. In fact, according to the book "100 Best Selling Albums of the 50s" by Charlotte Greig, six of Mitch's "sing along" LPs are listed as best sellers.
Millions of people enjoyed his music which focused on the popular American songbook. I recall marching around the front room as a young boy as his "Holiday Sing Along" LP played in the 1960s and of course now it gets its annual play in December.
Mitch also had a great television show called simply enough "Sing Along with Mitch". I wish PBS would rescue that one out of the archives. Miller says he has all of the master tapes. Mitch also played an important part at Columbia Records. Anyone who loves the pop music of that era as much as I do is forever in debt to this great man for his legacy, including the careers of Johnny Mathis, The Four Lads, Rosemary Clooney, and Guy Mitchell.
Why is this man not remembered more? For one, he did a lot of corny novelty songs which aren't in vogue anymore and easy to dismiss. Some of the singers of the day didn't like what he chose for them, but the public ate it up and it made them stars.
I am proud to say I enjoy his music and hope to continue to sing along with his albums for many years to come.
For a very interesting interview with Mitch, taped just a few years ago, click on the link from Youtube. It is rather lengthy but will give you great insight into this man and his legacy.
By the way, the pic on the left above is from "The Nostalgic Rambler" archives. It is a classic slide from/of my grandpa from his 50s/60s slide collection. His birthday gift? A radio and a Mitch Miller album! On the right is the musical genius himself, Mr. Mitch Miller. Happy Birthday Mr. Miller!
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