Louis Armstrong With the Mills Brothers

Biography

Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers represent a landmark collaboration between two of early 20th-century music's most influential forces. Louis Armstrong, one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, was an early admirer of the Mills Brothers and appreciated their seamless vocal improvisations and rhythmic innovations. The Mills Brothers, originally billed as "Four Boys and a Guitar," began as a barbershop quartet—a natural extension of their father John H. Mills's ownership of a barbershop in Ohio. After moving to New York City around 1930, they became the first African American singers to have their own national radio show on CBS Radio, gaining fame for their ability to imitate musical instruments vocally, creating the sound of a full jazz band with just their voices and one guitar.

Their first recording session together occurred in April 1937 on the Decca label (Decca 1245), marking the beginning of a repeated and fruitful partnership. The combination of the Mills Brothers' horn-like vocal imitations and Armstrong's mellowness proved natural and complementary, leading to multiple recording sessions in Decca studios and numerous radio broadcasts. Their collaborative work spanned the swing and big band era, with both artists contributing to the development of popular music and jazz standards. Armstrong's admiration for the group and their subsequent recording sessions together helped elevate both their stature within the jazz community and beyond, creating a bridge between Armstrong's innovative jazz approach and the Mills Brothers' sophisticated vocal arrangements.

Fun Facts

• The Mills Brothers' first recording session with Armstrong in April 1937 featured an unusual choice of material: 'Carry Me Back To Old Virginny' and 'Darling Nelly Gray,' two songs that harked back to the days of slavery, which was an odd pairing for such a groundbreaking collaboration.
• The Mills Brothers were the first African American performers to have a #1 hit on the Billboard singles charts and a network show on CBS Radio in 1930, and they gave a command performance for British royalty in 1934—the first Black group to achieve this prestigious honor, performing for King George V and Queen Mary at the Regal Theatre in London.
• John C. Mills Jr., one of the original brothers, died on January 23, 1936, at the heartbreakingly young age of 25 from pneumonia contracted while performing in England. Their father, John Sr., replaced him as the bass singer and tuba sound producer, allowing the group to continue their collaboration with Armstrong just over a year later.
• The Mills Brothers could imitate a full jazz band using only their voices and one guitar—each brother specialized in imitating different instruments: two imitated trumpets, one imitated trombone, and one imitated tuba, with recordings labeled 'no musical instruments or mechanical devices were used on this recording other than one guitar.'

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• The Mills Brothers - Armstrong recorded repeatedly with the Mills Brothers, appreciating their seamless vocal improvisations and rhythmic innovations. The collaboration represented a natural musical pairing between Armstrong's mellowness and the Mills Brothers' horn-like vocal imitations. (Multiple recordings including 'Carry Me Back To Old Virginny,' 'Darling Nelly Gray,' 'Boog It,' 'Caravan,' 'Cherry,' 'Nagasaki,' 'Lazy River,' 'Old Folks At Home,' 'Sweet Georgia Brown,' 'Paper Doll,' and 'My Walking Stick') [1937 onwards (first session April 1937)]
• Luis Russell's Big Band - After signing with Decca label in 1935, Armstrong immediately commenced a series of recordings backed by Luis Russell's big band, recording pop songs and jazz favorites. (Multiple pop songs and jazz favorites) [1935 onwards]
• Jack Kapp's Decca Label - Armstrong signed with Decca label in 1935 and was paired with various labelmates including the Mills Brothers, Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra, and others. (Multiple recordings across the Decca catalog) [1935 onwards]

Artists Influenced

• The Mills Brothers - Armstrong's admiration for the Mills Brothers and their subsequent recording sessions together helped elevate both their stature within the jazz community. Armstrong referenced the Mills Brothers as a significant influence on his own music. (Collaborative recordings and performances) [1937 onwards]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia