Birth: Aug. 19, 1913
Piqua
Miami County
Ohio, USA
Death: Jun. 28, 1982
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Member of the Mills Brothers singing group. As a baritone, he would imitate the second trumpet along with Herbert. Originally the brothers would perform in front of their father’s barbershop after school singing while Harry played the kazoo. First named as Four Boys and a Kazoo. At their debut at the Mays Opera house in 1924, Harry forgot his kazoo and improvised a trumpet sound with his mouth and hands. Eventually, they became the first African-American group to have a major broadcast sponsor (Columbia). Their debut record, Tiger Rag/Nobody’s Sweetheart, became the first million record sellers for a vocal group. Became the first African-American artists to give a command performance before British royalty in 1934, with their mother sitting in the royal box with King George V and Queen Mary.
Family links:
Parents:
John Hutchinson Mills (1889 - 1967)
Eathel Mills Garnes (1890 - 1962)
Siblings:
Dorothea C. Mills Hamilton (1909 - 1987)*
John C. Mills (1910 - 1936)*
Herbert Mills (1912 - 1989)*
Harry Mills (1913 - 1982)
Donald F. Mills (1915 - 1999)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Plot: Court of Remembrance, #3446
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Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jan 01, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 2051
