Okay. This is a test.
Who remembers Mitch Miller? He died today at the age of 99. Frankly, I was amazed he hadn’t died years ago…
He was always a part of our Christmas celebration in the 1960’s with his album of sing-a-long songs.
Of course, that means I had to buy the Christmas CD to recreate the era in our house a couple of years ago…
Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a video of his classic Christmas album featuring “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”.
Here here is what I could find. He is he with his original Gay Chorus. Tell me I’m wrong….
Admittedly, this is really cheesy…But it was the late 1950’s/ early 1960’s.
with his album of sing a long songs.
EW YORK (AP) – Mitch Miller, the goateed orchestra leader who asked Americans to “Sing Along With Mitch” on television and records, has died at age 99.
His daughter, Margaret Miller Reuther, said Monday that Miller died Saturday in Lenox Hill Hospital after a short illness.
Miller was a key record executive at Columbia Records in the pre-rock ‘n’ roll era, making hits with singers Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett.
“Sing Along With Mitch” started as a series of records, then became a popular NBC show starting in early 1961. Miller’s stiff-armed conducting style and signature goatee became famous.
As a producer and arranger, Miller had misses along with his hits, famously striking out on projects with Frank Sinatra and a young Aretha Franklin.
The TV show ranked in the top 20 for the 1961-62 season, and soon children everywhere were parodying Miller’s stiff-armed conducting. An all-male chorus sang old standards, joined by a few female singers, most prominently Leslie Uggams. Viewers were invited to join in with lyrics superimposed on the screen and followed with a bouncing ball.
via Mitch Miller Obituary: View Mitch Miller’s Obituary by New York Times.
Lost in the 21st Century 