Mills Music, Inc. was an American music publishing company located in Manhattan. Originally known as Jack Mills Music, it was founded by Jack Mills in 1919. It was re-named Mills Music, Inc. in 1928. During the 1920s it was the most prolific music publisher in the United States, but was later surpassed by other music publishers. It remained in operation until 1965 when it was sold to Utilities & Industries. The company is best remembered for its relationship with the African-American community. The publishing house is credited for being one of the first music publishers to promote jazz and it forwarded the careers of many then unknown black composers during the 1920s and 1930s, including Duke Elington. After World War II, the company switched its focus to

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

and publishing

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do origina ...

materials.

History

Jack Mills was a song-plugger who worked for a variety of Tin Pan Alley publishing houses. He had risen within the industry to the role of manager of the McCarthy & Fisher music publishing house. Also an aspiring songwriter, he had failed to convince any of the publishing companies in New York to publish his music. He founded Jack Mills Music in 1919 partially as a means to publish his own materials. Not long after establishing the company he was joined in the business by his brother

Irving Mills Irving Harold Mills (born Isadore Minsky; January 16, 1894 – April 21, 1985) was an American music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz artist promoter. He sometimes used the pseudonyms Goody Goodwin and Joe Primrose. Personal Mills was ...

. The company was re-named Mills Music, Inc. in 1928. The company was originally located at 152 W. 45th St. but from 1923 resided at the Mills Building at 148–150 W. 46th St. Mills Music, Inc. (MMI) was the most prolific music publishing company of the 1920s. In the 1920s and 1930s the company had a reputation for supporting and promoting black composers. This began with the publication of more than 100 rags during the 1920s; an important early one being Zez Confrey's "Kitten of the Keys" (1921). It was also one of the earliest music publishers to publish jazz music, and also published other types of music associated with the black community, including

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

. One well known blues tune the company published was Lovie Austin and

Alberta Hunter Alberta Hunter (April 1, 1895 – October 17, 1984) was an American jazz and blues singer and songwriter from the early 1920s to the late 1950s. After twenty years of working as a nurse, Hunter resumed her singing career in 1977. Early life Hu ...

's "

Down Hearted Blues "Down Hearted Blues" is a blues song composed by musician Lovie Austin, with lyrics by American jazz singer Alberta Hunter. The first line sets the theme for the song: "Gee but it's hard to love someone when that someone don't love you." Hunt ...

". MMI is credited for discovering Duke Elington, and Elington was managed by Irving Mills during his early career with MMI publishing his music. After World War II, MMI's emphasis switched to publishing

and

materials. Jack Mills sold the company in 1965 for $5,000,000.00 to Utilities & Industries.

Partial list of songs copyrighted by Mills Music

Stardust Stardust may refer to: * A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space Entertainment Songs * “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael * “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974 * “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012 * ...

" (1927) by Hoagy Carmichael

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Bibliography

* * * * * * * *{{cite book, editor-first= John, editor-last=Simons, title=Who's who in American Jewry, Volume 3, chapter=Mills, Jack, publisher=Jewish Biographical Bureau, year=1933 Music publishing companies Publishing companies established in 1919 1919 establishments in New York City