Skip to main content

Memory Lane: Popular NBC Conductor Mitch Miller Dies At Age 99

NEW YORK -- Mitch Miller, the goateed orchestra leader who asked Americans to "Sing Along With Mitch" on television and records, has died at age 99.

His daughter, Margaret Miller Reuther, said Monday that Miller died Saturday in Lenox Hill Hospital after a short illness.

Miller was a key record executive at Columbia Records in the pre-rock 'n' roll era, making hits with singers Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett.

"Sing Along With Mitch" started as a series of records, then became a popular NBC show starting in early 1961. Miller's stiff-armed conducting style and signature goatee became famous.

As a producer and arranger, Miller had misses along with his hits, famously striking out on projects with Frank Sinatra and a young Aretha Franklin.

The TV show ranked in the top 20 for the 1961-62 season, and soon children everywhere were parodying Miller's stiff-armed conducting. An all-male chorus sang old standards, joined by a few female singers, most prominently Leslie Uggams. Viewers were invited to join in with lyrics superimposed on the screen and followed with a bouncing ball.

"He is an odd-looking man," New York Times critic Brooks Atkinson wrote in 1962. "His sharp beard, twinkling eyes, wrinkled forehead and mechanical beat make him look like a little puppet as he peers hopefully into the camera. By now most of us are more familiar with his tonsils than with those of our families."

Atkinson went on to say that as a musician, Miller was "first rate," praising "the clean tone of the singing, the clarity of the lyrics, the aptness of the tempos, the variety and the occasional delicacy of the instrumental accompaniment."

An accomplished oboist, Miller played in a number of orchestras early in his career, including one put together in 1934 by George Gershwin. "Gershwin was an unassuming guy," Miller told The New York Times in 1989. "I never heard him raise his voice."

Miller began in the recording business with Mercury Records in the late '40s, first on the classical side, later with popular music. He then went over to Columbia Records as head of its popular records division.

Among the stars whose hits he worked on were Clooney, Page, Bennett, Frankie Laine and Jo Stafford. His decision to have Mathis switch from jazz to lushly romantic ballads launched the singer as a superstar.

He had a less rewarding collaboration with Sinatra, whose recording of the novelty song "Mama Will Bark," featuring a barking dog, was considered the nadir of the singer's career. Still, Miller became known for his distinctive arrangements, such as the use of a harpsichord on Clooney's megahit version of "Come On-a My House." He used dubbing of vocal tracks back when that was considered exotic.

"To me, the art of singing a pop song has always been to sing it very quietly," Miller said in the book "Off the Record: An Oral History of Popular Music."

"The microphone and the amplifier made the popular song what it is -- an intimate one-on-one experience through electronics. It's not like opera or classical singing. The whole idea is to take a very small thing and make it big."

Miller and a chorus had a No. 1 hit in 1955 with "The Yellow Rose of Texas," and that led to his sing-along records a few years later.

The years of Miller's biggest successes were also the early years of rock 'n' roll, and many fans saw his old-fashioned arrangements of standards and folk favorites as an antidote to the noisy stuff the teens adored. As an executive at Columbia, Miller would be widely ridiculed for trying to turn a young Aretha Franklin into a showbiz diva in the tradition of Sophie Tucker.

But Miller was not entirely unsympathetic to rock 'n' roll.

In a 1955 essay in The New York Times magazine, he said the popularity of rhythm and blues, as he called it, with white teens was part of young people's "natural desire not to conform, a need to be rebellious."

He added: "There is a steady -- and healthy -- breaking down of color barriers in the United States; perhaps the rhythm-and-blues rage -- I am only theorizing -- is another expression of it."

"Miller has often been maligned as a maestro of 1950s schlock ... Yet Miller injected elements of rhythm and blues and country music, however diluted, into mainstream pop," Ken Emerson wrote in his book "Always Magic in the Air."

In the Martin Scorsese documentary on Bob Dylan, "No Direction Home," Miller acknowledged that he was dubious when famed producer John Hammond brought the nearly unknown Dylan to the staid Columbia label in the early '60s. "He was singing in, you know, this rough-edged voice," Miller said. "I will admit I didn't see the greatness of it." But he said he respected Hammond's track record in finding talent.

In recent years, Miller returned to his classical roots, appearing frequently as a guest conductor with symphony orchestras.

In 2000, he won a special Grammy Award for lifetime achievement.

Reuther said her father died of "just old age."

"He was absolutely himself up until the minute he got sick," she said. "He was truly blessed with a long and wonderful life."

Miller was born in 1911, in Rochester, N.Y., son of a Russian Jewish immigrant wrought-iron worker and a seamstress. He graduated from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester.

Reuther said there will be a memorial service for her father in the fall.
---
Source: The Associated Press

The Most Popular Posts from the Director's Cut Blog

Natalie Clydesdale Joins WKYC Studios and the 3News Team

Natalie Clydesdale By Frank Macek A fresh, dynamic voice is joining the ranks of 3News, and her name is Natalie Clydesdale. Beginning Monday, May 19, Natalie steps into her new role as a multi-skilled journalist at WKYC Studios, bringing experience, passion, and a true love for storytelling to the Northeast Ohio community. Originally from Pittsburgh, Natalie is excited to return closer to her roots. With family already in Northeast Ohio, this move not only marks a professional milestone but also a personal one. Her familiarity with the region and its people gives her a unique perspective that will no doubt enhance her ability to tell the stories that matter most. Natalie arrives in Cleveland from KFOR-TV, the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City, where she worked as a morning anchor and reporter. During her time there, she became known for her calm presence during breaking news coverage and her ability to connect with viewers in meaningful ways. Before that, she worked in Fort Wayne, Indian...

Where Are They Now? - Connie Dieken

Connie Dieken This month, we asked Connie Dieken to share with us some exclusive information on our Director's Cut Blog about what she has been up since leaving the WKYC family in our "Where Are They Now Feature?" We have video of Connie anchoring the 11 pm news at the end of the story. Connie spent 16 years broadcasting the news to Cleveland television viewers, beginning at Channel 3 in 1984. Her first duties at the station were as weekend anchor and consumer reporter. She quickly moved up and joined co-anchor Tom Sweeney on the anchor desk for the 5 PM broadcast...and became a main anchor of Channel 3 News at 6 & 11 PM. Her work garnered numerous high profile communication awards including Emmys, Tellys and being named Best TV Host by Cleveland Magazine. Viewers always loved Connie for her friendly & warm approach to bringing them the news of the day. Also during her stay at Channel 3, she married former Browns offensive lineman Doug Dieken. Her q...

Job openings at WKYC Studios & TEGNA Media Ohio for 8/14/25

By Frank Macek WKYC Studios has these job openings available if you are looking for a rewarding career experience with us at TEGNA Media's Cleveland location. We've also now added opportunities for our sister TEGNA stations in Columbus and Toledo, Ohio courtesy of the Director's Cut Blog. Current WKYC/Cleveland Job Openings Account Executive   Investigative Producer   Current WBNS/Columbus Job Openings Broadcast Director   Creative Marketing Producer Freelance Photographer/Editor   Managing Editor Multi-Skilled Journalist News Director   Photojournalist Producer   Current WTOL/Toledo Job Openings Account Executive Multiskilled Journalist Producer ***NEW*** Production Lead ***NEW*** Sales Coordinator You can also find other jobs within our parent company on the  TEGNA Career Page . Please note, you must apply via the website. Mailed applications are not accepted. Follow Frank Macek for new postings on X  @MacekNewsNation  or on Facebook at...

WKYC Studios Names Jeff Hoffman News Director

Jeff Hoffman, Courtesy: WKMG-TV CLEVELAND, OH (May 6, 2025) — WKYC Studios, TEGNA’s NBC affiliate serving Northeast Ohio, today announced that veteran broadcast executive Jeff Hoffman has been named news director, effective May 19, 2025. Hoffman will be responsible for overseeing the station’s news content across all platforms, including streaming, broadcast, and digital. Hoffman brings more than three decades of award-winning news and station leadership experience to the role, most recently serving as vice president and general manager of WKMG-TV in Orlando, where he led a dramatic turnaround of the station’s brand and performance, guiding the newsroom to #1 in late news and overseeing award-winning coverage. Before joining WKMG, Hoffman held news leadership roles in several top markets, including WAVE-TV in Louisville and WJZ-TV in Baltimore, WIS-TV in Columbia, and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. He is a multiple Edward R. Murrow Award and National Association of Broadcasters’ Service to Am...

Where Are They Now: Sara Shookman Shines with Storyglow Studio and Spectrum News 1

by Frank Macek Sara Shookman For nearly a decade, viewers across Northeast Ohio welcomed Sara Shookman into their homes each evening as one of the trusted anchors of WKYC’s 3News. Her calm presence, journalistic integrity, and genuine connection with the Cleveland community made her a standout among local broadcasters. So, when Sara stepped away from her full-time role at WKYC in late 2022 to focus on family and new creative ventures, it left many wondering — what was next? As it turns out, plenty. Today, Sara Shookman is writing a compelling new chapter in her professional life — one that combines storytelling, community impact, and a continued connection to Ohio television. At the center of her current journey is Storyglow Studio , a creative content firm she founded with a mission to help nonprofits and purpose-driven organizations tell their stories with authenticity and heart. Storyglow Studio is built on the belief that powerful storytelling can inspire action. Sara and her t...

Where Are They Now?: Andrew Horansky

By Frank Macek If you watched WKYC during the mid-to-late 2010s, chances are you remember Andrew Horansky. With his thoughtful tone, strong on-air presence, and reporter’s instinct for the human side of the story, Horansky became a familiar face to viewers in Northeast Ohio. He joined Channel 3 in April 2015 after a long and well-traveled journalism career that took him across the country—and even overseas.  At WKYC, he served as both a general assignment reporter and weekend anchor, quickly making his mark with in-depth storytelling and a knack for covering both breaking news and community features with equal skill. Horansky brought a broad resume to Cleveland. Prior to arriving at WKYC, he had reported in Houston Austin, Chicago, Boston, Traverse City and Dubuque and was also known for his international reporting, including coverage from Iraq, Pakistan, Haiti and Sri Lanka. That global perspective, combined with a clear, calm delivery, made him a trusted presence on Cleveland air...

Welcome Amaya Ward: A Dynamic New Voice in Cleveland’s Newsroom

By Frank Macek Please join me in welcoming Amaya Ward to our newsroom team! A passionate, multi-skilled journalist, Amaya joins us from KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, where she made her mark as a reporter dedicated to telling stories that matter. Her time there included coverage of vital community services like mobile medical clinics for homeless veterans, crime and public safety cases, youth nutrition efforts, and wildfire relief programs. With each story, Amaya worked to shine a light on people at the heart of the news—those who might otherwise go unheard. Amaya Ward (Courtesy: KFOR-TV) Amaya’s journalism journey began at the University of Oklahoma, where she graduated from the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. During her time there, she became a familiar face on OU Nightly as both an anchor and reporter. She also worked as a sports pad host and served briefly as a Washington D.C. correspondent, gaining valuable experience across a wide range of formats and topics. H...

Where Are They Now: Amy Murphy (Hasten)

Former WKYC chief forecaster Amy Murphy (formerly Hasten) is our feature this time around on "Where Are They Now?". Amy was a very popular part of WKYC's weather forecasting team during the 1990s along with Mark Nolan and Eileen McShea. After leaving Cleveland, Amy headed to Miami - then finally onward to Los Angeles where we find her these days. Amy Murphy joined the FOX 11 and MY 13 News teams in April of 2006. You can see her regularly on FOX 11 News Saturday and Sunday editions doing the weather. She is also a general assignment reporter during the week, reporting for "FOX 11 News at 10PM," "My 13News at 11 PM" and "Good Day LA" on occasion. Most recently Amy worked in Phoenix as the morning and noon weather forecaster and entertainment reporter. It was there that she earned two Emmy nominations for her coverage for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Amy's career has spanned the country from KUSA-TV in Denver, where she was t...

Frank's Take: Let Producers Produce - Why the Future of News Demands a Return to Editorial Focus

By Frank Macek Walk into any newsroom today like WKYC, and you’ll likely find a familiar scene: a news producer juggling scripts, timing out live elements, coordinating with reporters in the field, updating rundowns—and, increasingly, triggering automation commands, punching live shots, cueing graphics, and managing tech workflows in real-time. In many markets, the days of a dedicated director or technical director operating behind the glass are becoming rare, replaced by a one-size-fits-all philosophy: if the system can be automated, the producer can run it. But just because the technology can allow producers to control more of the technical process doesn't mean they should. We’re reaching a critical moment in broadcast news where we need to seriously re-evaluate the role of the producer. If the future of news is going to be faster, smarter, and more responsive, producers must be freed to focus on what they were hired to do: produce. Let’s be clear—producing is not just “stacking ...

GO! Goes Bigger: WKYC Launches Extended 7–9AM Streaming Show on WKYC+ June 9th

By Frank Macek WKYC Studios is taking your morning routine to the next level. Starting Monday, June 9th, Northeast Ohio viewers will be able to catch another two full hours of GO! from 7 to 9 a.m.—exclusively on WKYC+, our free streaming channel. It’s a first-of-its-kind move for the station, designed to deliver more of the content you love, wherever and whenever you want to watch. The new streaming edition of GO! brings the same trusted team of local personalities—Danita Harris, Dave Chudowsky, Matt Wintz, Brissa Bradfield, Candice Hare, David Greenberg and Monica Robins—to a platform that fits into your schedule and your screen of choice, whether that’s a smart TV in the kitchen, your phone on the go, or a tablet by the bedside. It’s everything you already count on from Channel 3 News—just a little later and a lot more accessible. What’s New About This GO!? The 7–9 a.m. block of GO! is not a repeat or a simulcast of the TV broadcast—it’s a fully live and locally produced show, offeri...