PIQUA — The Johnston Farm & Indian Agency in Piqua has announced that April 9 is the deadline by which to purchase tickets to “An Evening with the Mills Brothers.”
Presented by the farm and the Piquarea Chamber of Commerce, the event will feature John Mills, son of Don Mills, and Elmer Hopper, formerly of the Platters, in a concert, April 19, at 7:30 p.m., in the Fort Piqua Plaza Banquet Center in downtown Piqua.
The performance will feature many of the songs made famous by the Mills Brothers, who were Piqua natives.
Tickets can be purchased at Appletree Gallery, the Piquarea Chamber of Commerce and Readmore’s Hallmark, all in Piqua along Main Street, and at David Fair on the Square in Troy during regular business hours using cash or check; or by credit card by calling the Johnston Farm at 937-773-2522. Tickets are $30 each for the general public, $25 each for Johnston Farm Friends members and members of the Ohio History Connection.
Under the leadership of Mills, who is the son, grandson and nephew of the original group’s members, the duo recreates the inimitable sounds of The Mills Brothers while vocalizing the multitude of hit songs that made them famous. Mills had performed with his father, Donald Mills, the last surviving original, since 1982, and now performs with Hopper, who spent 21 years with the renowned Platters. From the first time The Mills Brothers stepped onto a stage at the Mays Opera House in Piqua, more than two generations ago, their distinctive sound captured the fancy of audiences, a mystique that continues today. Honored with a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in 1998, The Mills Brothers’ harmonies and unmistakable repertoire of hits still symbolize a legendary tradition to a new millennium of audiences. Among the memorable portfolio of recordings that Mills and Hopper present are “Tiger Rag,” the original group’s first hit from 1928, “Cab Driver,” “Glow Worm,” “Lazy River,” “Yellow Bird,” “Basin Street Blues,” “Opus One” and “Paper Doll.”
In 1974, at 19, Hopper was trained personally by Paul Robi, the baritone of the original Platters. He accompanied Robi on an international tour spanning the globe from Japan and China, to Canada and Australia in what was said to be the best ensemble of The Platters since the group’s inception. Hopper and Robi were best of friends for more than 15 years until Robi succumbed to cancer in February 1989. Robi did not leave Hopper without a final message of inspiration. During a visit, just a few days before Robi passed away, he asked Elmer to “please continue keeping The Platters legacy alive.” Not long after losing his dear friend and mourning the loss of a great team member, Hopper hit the stage with renewed vigor touring the world with The Platters for the next several years. Upon the hospitalization of Donald F. Mills Sr. of the Mills Brothers, Hopper joined forces with Donald’s son, John, in June 1999.
