Died On This Date (January 23, 1936) John Mills, Jr. / The Mills Brothers
themusicsover John Mills, Jr.
October 19, 1910 – January 23, 1936
John Mills, Jr. along with his three brothers made up the Mills Brothers, a popular jazz vocal quartet throughout most of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. John Jr. sang bass in the group and played guitar. Their songbook included such hits as “Tiger Rag,” “Dinah,” and “St. Louis Blues.” As the boys were just starting to establish themselves on the world stage, tragedy struck while on their first European tour as John Jr. came down with pneumonia with which he struggled for several months. After they assumed he was well, the group headed back to England where John Jr. once again became sick, only this time resulting in his sudden death on January 24, 1936. The guys eventually regrouped and struck out again with their father, John Sr. filling the vacant slot.