The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    Hello guys, I've arrived at The Mills Brothers in my continued exploration of tenor guitar. Can anyone tell me anything more about Norman Brown, the group's guitarist for decades (and not to be confused with the later smooth jazz practitioner). I've found a few photos of the band which clearly show tenor guitars, and later shots where a conventional six-string is in place. Although I've been familiar with their output for decades, I didn't listen actively to the guitar until recently. Now I think I can hear a distinctively tenor quality there... Best, NP.

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  3. #2

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    John Mills Jr played ukelele and guitar with them until he developed pneumonia and died. I've only seen him pictured with a ukelele or a tenor guitar:

    Norman Brown from The Mills Brothers-millsbrothers1932-jpg Norman Brown from The Mills Brothers-millsbrothers_book-jpg Norman Brown from The Mills Brothers-millsbrothers_tenor_guitar-jpg

    Norman Brown became their guitar player and AFAIK only played 6 string. When I was just starting out, I loved the GIbson catalog and tried to find at least one recording by each player pictured in their "galaxy of stars" in the 1960 edition. This picture of NB playing a S400 is on page 30:

    Norman Brown from The Mills Brothers-normanbrown-jpg

    There are many pictures of him on various achtops, and I'm pretty sure I saw one with a J200 in his hands (although I can't find it right now). He was with the Mills Brothers for over 30 years.

  4. #3
    Thanks, Nevershould. I'd wondered if that was the case. The thing is, I'd have sworn I was hearing an electrified tenor on particular Mills Bros recordings, but all those shots of John Jr. show him playing an acoustic. I need to go back through a discography and find out who played on which recording. Best, NP.

  5. #4

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    Remarkable musicians and performers! Here they are with John Mills, Jr., in 1934. He died of pneumonia less than 2 years later, a great loss.


    And here they are nine years later – it took two men (his father, to sing, and NB to play) to replace him.


  6. #5

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    Don’t forget Bernard Addison, who played guitar with them for about 2 years between John Jr’s death and Norman Brown’s arrival. Addison was another unsung pioneer of jazz guitar, switching from banjo in the ‘20s and going on to play for Tatum, Armstrong and the like. After the Mills Brothers period, he went on to lead a few bands and recorded with Billie Holiday. He later played with the Mills Brothers’ main competition - the Ink Spots.

    Like many banjoists in transition, he may have played a 4 string guitar early on when first leaving the banjo behind. But AFAIK he didn’t do so from the ‘30s on.

  7. #6

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    speaking of Pops




  8. #7

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    though pictured w/several guitars over his career this '56 L-5 is the guitar most associated w/Brown


    Antiques Roadshow | Appraisal: 1956 Norman Brown-owned Gibson L-5C Guitar | PBS
    Last edited by wintermoon; 04-27-2022 at 06:44 PM.