Mitch Miller

Mitch Miller (born July 4, 1911) is remembered as one of the best-selling recording artists of the 1950s and early '60s. He was an executive at Columbia Records for many years and headed his own male choir, "Mitch Miller and the Gang", before striking out on his own.

Related Topics:
July 4 - 1911 - 1950s - 60s - Columbia Records - Choir

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Born Mitchell William Miller in Rochester, New York, he and his choir were famed for their campy Sing Along With Mitch television show of the 1960s, where the choir sang a popular or well-known tune while the lyrics scrolled across the television screen, the current position of the choir's singing marked by an animated ball that bounced from word to word. These were preceded by the instructions to "sing along; just follow the bouncing ball." Miller's biggest hits with the choir were "The Yellow Rose of Texas," a drum-propelled version of the old march, and "Colonel Bogey March", then enjoying new popularity from its use in the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). In addition to the television show, Miller and his choir recorded a series of best-selling albums.

Related Topics:
Rochester, New York - Campy - Television - Lyrics - The Yellow Rose of Texas - March - Colonel Bogey March - The Bridge on the River Kwai

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One of the singers in Miller's choir, Bob McGrath, went on to a long career as one of the hosts of the PBS children's television show, Sesame Street.

Related Topics:
Bob McGrath - PBS - Sesame Street

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As head of artists & repertory (A&R) at Columbia Records in the late fifties and early sixties, Miller gained a reputation for creating records that used "gimmicks" (such as heavy use of reverb) that would help to make a record sell. While this did not always sit well with Columbia's more established performers (Frank Sinatra, for example), Columbia had an amazing hit-to-release ratio during that time.

Related Topics:
A&R - Reverb - Frank Sinatra

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Miller signed and produced many important easy listening artists for Columbia, including Ray Conniff, Percy Faith, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Guy Mitchell (whose pseudonym actually was based on Miller's first name), and Doris Day to just name a few. He therefore became one of the most successful pop music producers ever.

Related Topics:
Easy listening - Ray Conniff - Percy Faith - Johnny Mathis - Tony Bennett - Guy Mitchell - Doris Day

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Miller is frequently (and probably unfairly) referred to by rock music historians as an "enemy" of early rock and roll. While he did ultimately lose his job as Columbia head for not signing the types of acts teenagers were buying, Miller did originally attempt to sign Elvis Presley, but balked at the amount Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was asking.

Related Topics:
Rock music - Rock and roll - Teenager - Elvis Presley - Colonel Tom Parker

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Mitch Miller is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music.

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