The Mills Brothers

American jazz and traditional pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies and garnered at least three dozen gold records.

The brothers were an American pop vocal quartet that, starting in the 30s, sold over 50 million copies of its nearly 2,000 recordings. John Jr., Herbert, Harry and Donald Mills steered their vocal sound through many eras of music — from the golden age of the big bands, into the rock ‘n’ roll era — more than 50 years in all — until the death of Donald Mills — the last surviving original member — on Nov. 13, 1999.

Talented as vocalists, they all studied at the Seattle Conservatory of Music; then they took their act on the road, first in vaudeville, later in the big-band and then the oldies circuits. But it was the magic of the radio airwaves that began to introduce the boys to America.