Alan Mills

Mills, Alan
Alan Mills (b Albert Miller). Folksinger (baritone), writer, actor, b Lachine, near Montreal, 7 Sep 1913 (or possibly 1912), d Montreal 14 Jun 1977. Interrupting a career 1929-47 as a journalist in Montreal (mainly at The Gazette), Mills made his singing debut as a bass, and toured 1935-7 in Canada and the USA with John Goss's London Singers. He sang small roles in The Magic Flute (1945) and Madama Butterfly (1947) for the Opera Guild of Montreal and later was Leader in Weill's folk opera Down in the Valley (1953) for the Minute Opera.

Alan Mills began a successful career as a folksinger on CBC radio in 1947; he sang until 1959 on 'Folk Songs for Young Folks' and 1952-5 on 'Songs de Chez Nous,' the latter with Hélène Baillargeon and the Art Morrow Singers. He was often accompanied by the guitarist Gilbert 'Buck' Lacombe (b St. Eugene, Ont 12 Mar 1921, d Laval, Que 19 Dec 2006). Mills was heard abroad 1948-55 through his programs and recordings for the CBC International Service, and later twice toured Europe. His first concert performance (Ottawa, 1949) was followed by many concert and festival performances throughout North America. His performances with Jean Carignan at the 1960 Newport Folk Festival were preserved on a Vanguard recording (VRS-9083). The two men also appeared at several Mariposa Folk Festivals and the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Mills's song 'I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly' (Southern 1951) became popular among folksingers; a Burl Ives performance of the song served as the soundtrack of a 1964 National Film Board (NFB) film of the same name.

Mills appeared in a few NFB productions and also acted in English and French radio dramas and TV commercials in Montreal. His play Ti-Jean and the Devil, based on a French-Canadian tale related by Carignan, was premiered 21 Jun 1961 on CBC radio.

Mills was a leading popularizer of Canadian folklore and a favourite of Canadian children. He participated with other leading non-traditional folksingers in the nine-volume Canadian Folk Songs: A Centennial Collection (RCA CS-100/5-ACM 39) and wrote the accompanying English-language booklet. Mills was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1974. His library and papers are held by Library and Archives Canada.

Song Books
The Alan Mills Book of Folk Songs and Ballads (Whitcomb & Gilmour 1949). Republished as Folk Songs for Young Folk (BMI Canada 1957)

Favourite Songs of Newfoundland (BMI Canada 1958)

- with Fowke, E., and Blume, H. Canada's Story in Song (Toronto 1960)

Chantons un peu (BMI Canada 1961)

- and Bonne, R. I Know an Old Lady (Rand McNally 1961)

Favorite French Folk Songs (Oak 1963)

- and Rinehart, Carroll. Holiday Songs (Bowmar 1966)

Discography
on Dominion

Chantons un peu. H. Baillargeon. Dom 1221

Folk Songs for Young Folk, 2 vols. (1965). Dom 1280, 1281

Also several 45s, seven in French with H. Baillargeon, two in English with Buck Lacombe, guitar

on Folkways

Folk Songs of French Canada. 1952. FW-6929

Folksongs of Newfoundland. 1953. FW-6831

Duets and Songs of French Canada. H. Baillargeon. 1955. FW-6918

Folk Songs of Acadia. H. Baillargeon. 1956. FW-6923

Folk Songs for Young Folk, 2 vols: no. 1 Animals, no. 2 More Animals. 1956. FC-7021, FC-7022

French Songs for Children. 1957. FC-7018

Songs of Newfoundland. 1958. FW-8771

Songs of the Maritimes. 1959. FW-8744

Canada's Story in Song. 1960. 2-FW-3000

Songs, Fiddle Tunes and Folk Tales from Canada. Carignan violin, Lacombe guitar. 1961. FG-3532

Raasche and Alan Mills Sing Jewish Folk Songs. 1962. FW-8711

14 Numbers, Letters and Animal Songs for the Very Young. 1972. FC-7545

Also Chantons en français (with H. Baillargeon, 4-FC-7719, 7720, 7721, 7722); Christmas Songs from Many Lands (FC-7750); French Folk Songs for Children (FC-2708); More Songs to Grow On (FC-7009); Songs of the Sea (FA-2312); and songs included on Folkways FW-7545

on RCA

Canadian Folk Songs: A Centennial Collection. 1967. RCA CS-100/5-ACM 39

Chansons à boire. RCA Victor CGP-289

Also several 78s

on RCI

Songs by Alan Mills. Lacombe guitar. 1950. RCI 21

Alan Mills, Folk Singer. Lacombe guitar. 1952. RCI 81-84

Songs of the Maritimes. Art Morrow Quartet, Lacombe guitar. 1954. RCI 102

Others

Chansons à boire (with a choir and orchestra conducted by Lacombe; Venus VL-301); Folkloriquement vôtre (Totem TO-9208/selections Totem TO-9248); Le Noël des artistes (London VL-304); Le Père Bouchon raconte avec Ovila Légaré et chantons avec Alan Mills (Promo son JPA-7505)

Some 45s for Capri and HMV

Author Lynne Hoover

Bibliography

Gallant, Mavis. 'His songs tell a story,' Montreal Standard, 10 Feb 1951

McNamara, Helen. 'Alan Mills - Canada's balladeer,' Saturday Night, 13 Dec 1952

'Alan Mills celebrating the 10th year of his folk-song show,' CBC Times, 5-11 May 1957

Cadoret, Charlotte. 'In memoriam,' Canadian Folk Music Society Newsletter, vol 12, Fall-Winter 1977

Colquhoun, Joan E. 'Alan Mills and his role in the popularization of Canadian folk songs,' unpublished paper, at Library and Archives Canada 1982

Links to Other Sites
Alan Mills
A brief summary of music created by popular Canadian folk singer Alan Mills. From the “Canadian Journal for Traditional Music.”

Just Call Me Al
Click on the links to full text articles about the life and musical career of Alan Mills, one of the first folk singers to popularize Canadian folk songs in both English and French. From the “Canadian Folk Music Bulletin.” PDF files.

Alan Mills Fonds
A biographical sketch and description of the Alan Mills fonds from the Music Division Archives at Library and Archives Canada.

Anti-Confederation Song
Scroll down the page to hear an audio clip of Alan Mills performing the "Anti-Confederation Song." Also click on "Liner Notes" for background information on this song and others from the recording "Classic Canadian Songs from Smithsonian Folkways."

Canada's Story in Song
Listen to sample audio clips from a recording of Canadian folk songs performed by Alan Mills and produced by Edith Fulton Fowke. From the Smithsonian Folkways website.