Do any of you remember him ( I didn't) but I will post two of his songs & you will most likely remember them immediately: Cheers !! HF&RV
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
13 comments:
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How about this one ? Bet you know this one too.
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Frank Mills (born June 27, 1942, Toronto), is a Canadian pianist and recording artist, best known for his solo instrumental hit "Music Box Dancer".
Mills grew up in Verdun, Quebec[1] and started playing piano at age 3. He attended McGill University[1]for five years. He started in Engineering, switched to a B.Sc. programme, then Arts and finally with the Department of Music. He entertained his fraternity brothers (Delta Upsilon) with songs from ragtime to a new artist Bob Dylan. The fraternity piano had thumbtacks on every hammer and produced an unique sound. In the late 1960s became a member of The Bells. He left the band in 1971 just before it had international success with the single "Stay Awhile."
Mills worked as a pianist for CBC-TV[1] and recorded his first solo album, Seven Of My Songs, which produced the hit single "Love Me, Love Me Love." The song made its debut on the Canadian charts in October 1971 and early the following year peaked at #46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #8 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart[2] His followup single, a cover of Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" made Top 25 in Canada but stalled at #106 in the U.S.
Mills released an album in 1974 that featured "Music Box Dancer", but it was not a hit initially. When he re-signed with Polydor Records Canada in 1978, the label released a new song as a single, with "Music Box Dancer" on the B-side. The single was sent to easy listening stations in Canada, but a copy was sent in error to CFRA-AM, a pop station in Ottawa. The program director played the A-side and couldn't figure out why it had been sent to his station, so he played the B-side to see if the record was mistakenly marked. He liked "Music Box Dancer" and added it to his station's playlist, turning the record into a Canadian hit. Iconic Ottawa Valley radio personality Dave "50,000" Watts gave the record extensive airplay on the station.[3] The album went gold in Canada, which prompted Polydor in the US to release the album and single.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Mills
http://www.frankmills.com/bio.html
-HF&RV-
Just when you think there can hardly be too much more to learn about Verdun.....another wonderful tidbit jumps out of nowhere to make you feel that much better about our home town......What a life we have, and what memories we have to look back on... Life is good.....Just wonderful...Keep those cards and letters coming......
Great stuff He was around my time in Verdun but I don't think I knew him but great music
I remember his "Music Box Dancer" from the 1980s. I didn't know he came from Verdun. Which area ?
I am adding Frank Mills to my list of Verdunites who made good in the world of music. Another Verdunite who was a successful piano player was Sonny Caulfield. I did'nt know these musicians as they where after my time as a Verdunite, Billy Munroe and Maynard Ferguson where from my era wich was the big band era,
Guy
I have emailed Frank Mills & will post any response he may make, I invited him to have a look at this thread about him here on Verdun Connections......
Incidentally it is 30 years this year since he released Music Box Dancer, a title he got indirectly from his little girl ......................... Nice to hear of Verdun people doing allright in the world..
Cheers !! HF&RV
Les
I don't recall if it was you who showed me the CKGM site..if not go on..its run by Marc Denis..
its great...let me know if u cannot get in.. I will post the site address..
I remember Frank Mills well...and the Bells too... we had some good Canadian bands back then too..
Steve
Good Morning Steve, I remember us talking about 'mais oui Denis' a long time ago & we did post the site address as well,....You might have told me about it, when we were searching the CKGM stuff. Marc Denis has added the CFOX memorabilia stuff to his site as well as his CKGM stuff, that's where I got the Top 40 Chart, I will post more of them soon too ,if people want to see them.
Yes Canada did produce some decent bands over the years, when thinking back to the mid to late 60's in Verdun, there were a ton of friends getting into garage band groups, you would hear them practicing all over the place.....I started to learn to play Bass Guitar, but unfortunately ( or fortunately for the non hearing impaired, I never kept it up)..........hahahahahah I would have had to follow the advice of an old comic I once heard say."Always leave your audience happy-----------------even if you have to leave them ,to do it"............hahahahaha Cheers !! HF&RV........
Hi GBG,..I will ask him ,if I get the chance which part of Verdun he lived in, I have an email sent to him & when & if I get a response I will update us all here. Cheers ! HF&RV
What about us born in 1942 and enjoyed rock&roll from 1954 such as Buddy Holly, Elvis,Jerry Lee lewis,Bobby Darrin, Bill Haley,JOhn Cash,Fats Domino,Ray Charles,Lloyd Price,Chuck Berry..etc.etc. those were great times.
cookie
Hi GBG, I recieved an email from Frank Mills.but no mention as to where in Verdun he lived.
Here is both my email to him & the response:
the email:
Hello Frank, I was listening to Randy Bachman on CBC Radio last night & heard him pay tribute to your work. He also mentioned that you were from Verdun orignally. I am a member of a group which started on MSN many years ago & is now on what they call Multiply. I posted info about you there today,and a couple of your songs I found on youtube,...It seems we all were readily familiar with your songs, but in my self admitted ignorance I didn't know you were the writer of those well known tunes & you were from Verdun, ( Incidentally .is the Organ Grinder supposed to be the guy that stood in front of Eatons all those years ago in Montreal ? in your song Love me ,love me ,love)
Congrats on your years of success. Here is the web address of our site called Verdun Connections......... http://verdunconnections2.multiply.com/journal/item/4094/Verdun_Piano_Player_ Have a look at it if you like, Enjoy 2010........ Les F
best regards from Canada's Westcoast ( Les & Teresa, Victoria BC)
the reponse:
Les, thanks for your kind words. I got to know Randy from the many awards we collected from SOCAN some years ago. Yes, the organ grinder outside Morgan's was the inspiration for the song Love Me Love Me Love.I was actually born in Montreal, lived in Verdun until one then moved to NDG , then TMR when I was five. Once again thanks and regards, Frank Mills
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