Birth: Apr. 2, 1912
Piqua
Miami County
Ohio, USA
Death: Apr. 12, 1989
Las Vegas
Clark County
Nevada, USA
Member of the Mills Brothers singing group. He was a baritone who imitated the trumpet. 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:
Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend.
Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?]
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jan 17, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 8188
