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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 second (Vol. 1 is ACQCD7185). This 108-track 4-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides from their releases on the Decca and Dot labels from 1947 through to 1960, with just about every release represented by at least one side. It features 27 chart hits, including the No. 1 “Glow Worm”, and the Top 10 entries “Across The Alley From The Alamo”, “I Love You So Much It Hurts”, “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”, “Someday (You’ll Want Me To Want You)”, “Daddy’s Little Girl”, “Nevertheless” and “Be My Life’s Companion”. It features recordings with Al Jolson, Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee, and with the orchestras of Sy Oliver, Hal McIntyre and Owen Bradley. It’s a representative overview of the second era of their career and is a fine showcase for their highly distinctive style of vocal harmonies.
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