Mitch Miller, 1950s TV and pop music icon, dead at 93.

[NightTrain]

Mitch Miller, who for many years was the head of A&R (Artists and Repertoire) at Columbia Records, died today at age 93. Born in Rochester, NY, on July 4, 1911, Miller was an outspoken critic of early rock 'n' roll, which is why no rockers recorded for Columbia until 1961. On the other hand, Miller was responsible for the phenomenal success of such "Adult Pop" stars as Frankie Laine, Rosemary Clooney, Johnnie Ray, Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, Guy Mitchell, and the Four Lads.

Beginning in 1958, Miller, with his orchestra and chorus, recorded a popular series of LPs called "Sing Along With Mitch." They were such a hit, that in 1961 NBC hired Miller to host a TV show. The program encouraged viewers to sing along with the lyrics that flashed on the bottom of the TV screen. "Sing Along With Mitch" ran on NBC through 1966.

Miller also enjoyed a string of hit singles that both pre-dated and co-existed with rock 'n' roll. His biggest record, "The Yellow Rose of Texas," pushed Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" off #1 in Billboard in 1955.

While I personally am not a Mitch Miller fan, I would never attempt to deny his popularity with the parents of first generation rock 'n' rollers, and (to a certain point) his influence on American popular music.

[bettyellen]

1. Who's got a big fat cherry nose?

C'mon sing it with me, one last time for the Mitchster!

[bettyellen]

5. Santa's got a big fat cherry nose!

doesn't anybody else know the words?

[Undercover Owl]

2. farewell, Mitch Miller.

Does anyone know how he died? (old age would be a good enough answer I suppose).

People will be singing along with Mitch records.

[TheMightyFavog]

3. Let us sing.....

There's a yellow rose in Texas, that I am going to see,
Nobody else could miss her, not half as much as me.
She cried so when I left her, it like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, we nevermore will part.

She's the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, they sparkle like the dew;
You may talk about your Clementine, and sing of Rosalee,
But the yellow rose of Texas is the only girl for me.

When the Rio Grande is flowing, the starry skies are bright,
She walks along the river in the quiet summer night:
I know that she remembers, when we parted long ago,
I promise to return again, and not to leave her so.

She's the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, they sparkle like the dew;
You may talk about your Clementine, and sing of Rosalee,
But the yellow rose of Texas is the only girl for me.

Oh now I'm going to find her, for my heart is full of woe,
And we'll sing the songs together, that we sung so long ago
We'll play the bango gaily, and we'll sing the songs of yore,
And the yellow rose of Texas shall be mine forevermore.

She's the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, they sparkle like the dew;
You may talk about your Clementine, and sing of Rosalee,
But the yellow rose of Texas is the only girl for me.

[Festivito]

9. Just need to follow that bouncing ball.

I guess he disliked rock and roll as much as some rock and rollers dislike rap.

Now heaven can sing along with Mitch.

[Sporadicus]

4. Man, I Hadn't Thought of Mitch Miller for Many, Many Years

I'm no fan of the genre in which he worked; even as a child he and his sing-along singers struck me as somewhat fascist. I also believe he abused his authority as head of A&R at Columbia to suppress rock & roll in its formative years. Rest in peace, Mr. Miller, but I was no great admirer of your ideology of artistic suppression.

[mcscajun]

6. I hadn't thought of him in AGES...

...my parents were big fans, so of course we watched it every week. We also had the Christmas Album he made one year. The only benefit of that was the booklet with All the lyrics to the carols in it.

I never knew about his suppression of rock artists...but <shrug> he didn't succeed in the long run...so there! :D

Odd thought...I ran into him in the early 70s at a very good restaurant in Chinatown. No big reaction, naturally...we don't DO reaction in NYC. :P

[NightTrain]

8. Miller eventually "made nice" with rock 'n' roll.

He must've known when he was licked. :)

[no_hypocrisy]

7. We incessantly played his Christmas album when I was a kid.

RIP, Mitch.

[Katarina]

11. We did as well

After I had kids, I bought the CD and we play it every year at Christmas.

[mr_hat]

10. A fixture on our "stereo console" when I was a kid.

He lived too long.