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The Mills Brothers were a pioneering vocal quartet, who performed in a jazz-flavoured barbershop style and were forerunners of the doowop groups of later years- they broke new ground as the first African-American group to have their own network radio show in the USA. In the course of their long career they made more than 2,000 recordings and had around 60 US chart entries. So prolific were that we have chosen to present their releases on 78s and 45s in two 4-CD sets, of which this is the first (Vol. 2 is ACQCD7186). This 104-track 4-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides from their releases on the Brunswick and Decca labels from their debut in 1931 through to 1947, with just about every release represented by at least one side. It features 38 of their hits, including the No. 1s “Tiger Rag”, “Dinah”, “Paper Doll” and “You Always Hurt The One You Love”, and the Top 5 entries “You Rascal You”, “I Heard”, “Good-Bye Blues”, “Rockin’ Chair”, “St. Louis Blues”, “Swing It Sister” and “Sleepy Head”. It features duet recording with Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. It’s a representative overview of the first era of their career and is a fine showcase for their highly distinctive style of vocal harmonies.
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