The Mills Brothers "Basin street blues". Boston Pops Early 80s

[egress1977]

Thanks for posting this great song. John Williams (yes the John Williams), the Boston Pops and the great Mills Brothers....it doesn't get any better.

[FlibidiiProductions]

Wow...this, is out of this world.

[icujts]

from about 2:34 on, it's just a master class. These gentlemen have seen and done everything, met and worked with everyone from Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, on. All you can do is watch in awe!

[icujts]

it's amazing how you can follow the Mills Brothers whole career on these youtube videos... from the very earliest clips in the late 1920's to some of these last performances in the 1980s... they sound every bit as good 50 yrs. later.

[uria119]

Now... This is talent!!

[radio63]

This is indeed from the early 1980s. I know. I recorded the entire soundtrack of this program. (Sadly, I did not yet have a VCR). It was an episode of "Evening at Pops" with John Williams. It was originally in color. I also wonder why this great program has not been released on home video. Thanks for posting this. Although I have the soundtrack, I had not seen a video clip of this since it originally aired!

[slatsp1]

Unfortunately, they have all passed away. From left to right, Herb (1989), Don (1999) and Harry (1982). Their last album was a "Live Copenhagan" in 1981 which was very much like going to see them in person, minus a few songs. I was fortunate enough to have heard them 4 times and met all 3 of the men. Very nice men, very easy to talk with, etc. Understated Class.

[lindenhof129]

@slatsp1 I envy you soooooo much.

[holleridudodeldi]

Isn´t there anyone who is listoning to this Video the last days? Where are the Mills Brothers today? Did they die? In whitch year? Is there anybody who can tell it on this side?

[ggggonzalez]

The 2 Dislikes are Justin Beiber Fans

[MetalEliot]

@ggggonzalez Really dude...on every Mills brothers video?

[holleridudodeldi]

Thank you for posting it, Wonderful to listen to them.Why didnt we see them in Germany?In the film: Glenn Miller Story, Louis Armstrong is singin´THE BASIN STREET too, so I remered it very soon, and he did it very good also.

[MegaBorodino]

Was Harry ill at this point? He's lost a lot of weight and his hair.

[starparty]

I remember seeing this on TV circa 1980, I was in high school at the time and was amazed with their performance. I taped it on a cassette tape which I had for several years. How wonderful to see this a clip from this classic show. It did air originally in color.  When are the Boston and PBS going to make these classic concerts available? PLEASE!

[yerboyfloyd]

Did this air once on PBS?  I swear I saw a whole concert of theirs on TV in the 80's and was flabergasted by their mouth horn imitations. Brilliant!

[marls00]

There's no way this was the early 80's. More like the early 60's.

[doowopp64]

It is early 80s. Believe it or not!

[radio63]

@marls00 

[BadboybillyC]

The Mills Brothers, household names and amazing talent. Who can sound this great late in their years but true talents. Shall not be forgotten.

[MrArlew1]

I remember when this aired on pbs couldn't wait to get to band practice at school the nxt day it was all we could talk about, a guy who was assisting us in the summer program had actually played trumpet for 1 of their concerts back then, great memories

[Saltiag0]

Who could have dislike this? :(

[SoopSoopa]

wow

[amino747]

Simply Magnificent,Amazing!!!! What can I say more just pure Vocals so smooth..Original Talent :)

[Soldier78GOP]

Great Video.  We need more!!!!

[alfiesgirluk]

What beautiful voices and harmonies..........I don't know who is who with the Mills except for Donald. They were my dads favourite

[connopv]

Brilliant stuff.

[neon854]

What do you need wind instruments for?!

[faithlaurie]

Great sound and singing..Wow

[mcvb765]

I remember watching this show with my granddad . He got me hooked that night on these guys . They were incredible. I still love to list to their music .

[winsome1235]

I can only say wow!

[oysab1223]

I have always loved them-63 years, now! Do you realize that when they started, they couldn't use the same bathrooms or hotels you and I can- notice the white audience

[demich0007]

@oysab1223 Well you got me beat. Almost 62 years for me now. My dad was a big fan, so we always had their records playing when I was growing up. It was probably the first music I ever heard, and it's still the best I've ever heard.

[crusher1944]

Years later I realize how lucky I was to see them live.

[EvaPhillips]

Simply stunning..I love this group..wow.

[mountainat85]

love these guys...when i was around 7 I used to catch them on little clips .A ":video" that played on local t.v. of "Lazy River" .....great

[chexmixnider]

Everytime I see them I'm astonished by how they can make those trumpet sounds, it's just amazing.

[byline7844]

I checked the "like it" above, but that is hardly adequate to express what joy this brings.

[alnitemike]

yes, beautiful!

[outdoorguy223]

I'm 50. My Dad took me to see them in Vegas when I was 18. Damn!!! What an act. The likes of which will never be seen again. I was on cloud 9 for a month afterward.Thanks Dad for turning on to REAL music, RAP is in fact missing the C in front of it.

[rxhpcguy]

Awesome... Real talent, real music..

[eva9655]

BRILLIANT!!!

[illusionist1956]

Awesome simply Awesome.

[Chimbo65]

FANTASTIC !!

God rest your souls

It`s magic.

Chimbo

Chimbo`s Revival

[shanna1950]

fabulous

[dstonz]

Loved them all my life.. Fabulous forever.

[moranrd2000]

My wife and I were newly married then. We loved the Boston Pops early on Sunday evenings. I heard of the Mills brothers but did not know how much entertainment value these guys had. It's not just a matter of talent - they really invite you to enjoy the music as much as they are enjoying it!

[dd938gje]

What a fantastic performance!! And this was some 50 years after they started performing, Folks, you'd be hard pressed to see something like this again in your lifetime. May they Rest in Peace.

[slatsp1]

Fantastic!!! I watch this myself several times per week. These guys were the greatest!! Most of their music was "pop standards" with a little swing. Their instrumentals were great, but many people overlook the fact they could sing the blues too!!! What versatile performers.

[MrSoulSamCooke]

This Is Genuis!

Pure Talent

Triple Talent

Glad I ran into this

[busessuck1]

@MrSoulSamCooke there were 4 till this point

[kuriouslee]

what a great group, My Dad played their music all the time, he always told me that they imitated playing horns in the background on their albums, this is the first time I saw it

[busessuck1]

@kuriouslee listen to "caravan" by em

[712359]

This is talent at it's very best, great stuff.

[Illinigolfer22]

It doesn't matter what kind of musical mood I am in, this is one of my all time favorites and watch it almost every time I'm on YouTube. I wish I could have seen more of them, but I was only 9 when this was shown on PBS. I can listen to my generations music but I prefer The Mills Bros., Sinatra, Martin, Buble and Connick Jr. in every which way.

[timanator50]

No fog machine-no pyro technics - no lasers...just talent and lots of it

[jackprkins]

who needs instruments? lol

[vantalge]

Fantastic. Video qualilty doesn't matter, it's all about the audio.

[TheRiversDark]

Damn, that made me cry.

[aerofredywr]

Never mind the clip¨s quality, the music is GREAT! Thanks for sharing.

[64Climber]

64Climber

What creative musicians, the Mills' Brothers were! We played "Basin Street

Blues" in band; I think it was a Moffitt arrangment. I played 1st & 2nd trumpet

parts, just for fun. Listening to those Bros.

who "do" the trumpet so well w/their voices still blows me away.

[carroll1956]

Thanks so much for posting....such class and talent. Love the Mills Brothers...grew up listening to them; my parents had their albums. Great stuff!!!

[carroll1956]

Thanks for posting...I have sent it to my kids to show them what real talent looks and sounds like!! I grew up listening to The Mills Brothers; my parents had their albums, along with other greats like Johnny Mathis.

[floralparkkid]

I saw the Mills Bros. at Westbury Music Fair on Long Island in the early 80's when these guys were all in their 70's and 80's and they were as good as ever. Great talents. Thanks for posting.

[19Spantum93]

Super!

[doowopp64]

For those that have asked me if I have more of this show of the Mills Brothers... I wish I had!!! This is the only clip I have. I hope someone has the whole show and will share the stuff over here. A really GREAT unique group, and this video really shows it.

[oldtimeseller]

@doowopp64

I "had" the whole show on VHS videotape, but it was lost somewhere in the many moves we've made since 1980. I watched it many times and thoroughly enjoyed this performance with the Boston Pops and shared it with many friends.

Apparently the Pops doesn't make program material available on DVD or even on CD. I'm sure they still have video of this performance.  They did Paper Doll, Glow Worm, and a couple more of their standards.

[smythe0001]

it happens once in a while when music brings a tear to the eye, and watching this tonight was one of those moments...thanks for sharing this, what an incredible performance! i'm sure its all been said before in the comments here but really there hasn't ever been a vocal group that could come close to this group of gentlemen...its not just the voices which of course are fabulous, man they swing like no other! can anyone tell me where this was recorded, and is there any more of this show online?

[smythe0001]

before anyone tells me to open my eyes, you're right i should have read MrBilly2657's and slatsp1'scomments below about the availability issue...

[MrBilly2657]

Harry always looked like he was having a good time in all the videos. Even being sick, wasn't going to let it stop him.

[ResidualConfusion]

Saw 'em in concert in the round, 2nd row seats, a about this time. I coulda sat there all night and listened to these talented, versatile, funny gentlemen. Ah, what a night!...

[MrBilly2657]

I did some checking on this video. And im sad to say it is not available for purchase by the public. According to WGBH, which did the series Boston Pops, the "rights" are not secured for sale. Very sad that money is the reason this part of history cannot be view and enjoyed by the public from PBS. My hats off to whoever posted this video. I watch it all the time and marvel at things i have missed in my life. Mills Brothers are a class act..

[slatsp1]

This was a Boston Pops Special from 1980. It was called "Old Timers Night" --1/2 the show was a sing- a long with the Pops. The other 1/2 were the Mills Brothers. Name me a group today that could compete with them. Most music today is loud guitars & screaming, raspy voices.

[Illinigolfer22]

Does anyone know where we can get a full copy of this program? I have searched and can't find it anywhere.

[bdzmusicprod]

@slatsp1 I couldn't agree more. Today's "entertainers" put on a big showy display and walk back and forth on stage with a mic clipped to their head. Way too much stage distraction and half of them dress like slobs. The Mills Brothers are the act to compare all others to . They dressed nice and used one mic between them...no gimics...just talent.

[Iddyboy]

I'm not afraid to rate this one with five stars and a sincere, profound, "Oh my god!"

It's nice that they include the Teagarden/Miller verse and that there's a "trombone" solo!

[bon1042]

I don't think I've ever seen John Williams enjoy himself so much !

[SeanMcGurk]

What talent, unbelievable. A class act, never to be repeated.

[jeremysarson]

all we are left with is x factor !

[Yngland]

Super wow thanks !!!!!!!!!!!1

[urslsi]

einfach genial!

[jozzi1]

This is so incredible! Does any one now where this was performed?

[jerrybodie]

Where no but I believe it was a Boston Pops specials,

[jerrybodie]

I think it was the 50th anniversary of the Mills bro in Hollywood...even though Williams is coonducting I dont know if it was the pops, but they did do a Pops special...I just dont think this was it

[Drilla69]

Hey Doowoop64

Do u have the live version of Cab Driver the Mills Brothers did with the Pops Orchestra?

[Drilla69]

Hello slatsp1, Drilla 69. Have u had a chance to find cab driver?

[2packs4sure]

They had been at it for 50 years at this point and they are still kickin' butt. Just makes me smile. I'd kill for the whole show.

CLASS ACTS in every way.

[LunaticJazz]

They look so happy and so pure it makes me smile all the way!!!! They're the best!)

[newstart2009]

ok I think this is from 1981.....John Williams didn't conduct the Boston Pops until Authur Fiedler passed away in 1979

[PGKModels]

The "instruments came about early in their career. They used a kazoo and a guitar. One nighht the kazoo was forgotten and they improvised and the rest became Mills Brothers History.

[Drilla69]

Great Video. Can you locate the Mills Brothers sing Cab Driver live with the Boston Pops? Hope so!!!

[slatsp1]

I have Cab Driver from this performance. I just have to find it & figure out how to post it, etc.

[Drilla69]

Thanks fof the reply. I really hope you figure out how to post it.

I have some Mills Brothers on 8 track. Do you or know anyone that can convert an 8 track tape to disc?

[Drilla69]

slatsp1 this is drilla69,

have you figured out how to post the Cab Driver performance.

[slatsp1]

I'm sorry. Been moving & have to find it. Hang in there.

[Drilla69]

Hey slatsp1, Drilla69 here.

Still hanging in there. Any luck on the Cab Driver Performance? Hope so!!!

[RetroSho]

Simply magical. Thank you so much for posting this!!!

[kajkamali]

Does anyone know if they did the instrument imitations often? I thought it was amazing, but I couldn't find any other videos on here with them doing it.

[sally1715]

The instrument initations were done thru out their career but mostly early on. Their oldest brother John, Jr., did it as well. If you find some of their early videos here on Youtube, you'll hear a lot of it. For a long time the only accompaniment they had was the guitar, the rest was their instrument initations.They were truly incredible and we will not see the likes of these guys walk thru our way again.

[SyberkaPL]

This is excellent live! Thanks man!!

I love this applause after Donald's solo. 2:56

[cputb1]

Smooooooooth!

[millsbrothers]

THANKS FOR SHARING, MUCH NEEDED

[millsbrothers]

1980'S BOSTON POPS!!

[doowopp64]

Thanks for the info!!! I love the group and I love this clip!