Post-war Years
The rise of rock and roll in the early fifties did little to decrease the Mills Brothers popularity. "Glow Worm" jumped to number one on the pop charts in 1952. The track also peaked at #10 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1953. "Opus One," an updated version to the Tommy Dorsey hit, was soon on the charts as well, followed by "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You," "The Jones Boy," "Yellow Bird," "Standing on the Corner," and "If I Had My Way."
In 1957, John Sr., who was 68, stopped touring with the group. As a trio, the Mills Brothers were frequent guests on The Jack Benny Show, The Perry Como Show, The Tonight Show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, The Dean Martin Show and The Hollywood Palace. A move from Decca to Dot Records brought a moderate 1958 hit, a cover of the Silhouettes' "Get a Job" that made explicit the considerable influence on doo-wop that the early Mills Brothers records had exerted. The Mills Brothers also charted "Yellow Bird" two years prior to Arthur Lyman's Top Ten hit remake.
"Cab Driver", recorded in 1968, was their last great hit. (#23 pop, #3 easy listening) It was written by songwriter C. Carson Parks, who also penned "Somethin' Stupid", a hit the previous year for Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy.
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