aGreatGUY.net | A fan tribute to singer Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchell was born of Yugoslavian parents in Detroit, Michigan (USA) and christened Albert George Cernic...

By the age of three it was apparent to his family that they had a budding star in their midst as their son showed great interest in performing. When Guy turned eleven, it was fortunate that his family chose to relocate to the capital of showbiz, Los Angeles. It was at this point that a talent scout spotted Guy and signed him up to Warner Bros. studios as a child star. Success however in the movies eluded him but he managed to land guest spots singing on local radio.

Two years later, his family was on the move to San Francisco and consequently, Guy’s contract with Warner ended. Guy then started work as an apprentice saddle-maker but having acquired a taste for fame he continued singing and took vocal coaching lessons in his spare time. His undeterred enthusiasm eventually paid off as he was accepted for another spot on local radio.

By 1944, Guy followed a call of duty and joined the US Navy for a two-year stint. Upon leaving the services, he immediately resumed his radio-singing career. Over the next few years, Guy became a lead vocalist in the Carmen Cavallaro orchestra and recorded his first demos. It was the promise he showed in these early recordings that won Guy first prize on Arthur Godfrey's radio programme “Talents Scouts”. Regular work followed, recording songwriters’ demonstration discs.

1950s Publicity Shots of Guy Mitchell for Columbia Records

The year 1950 was a huge turning point in Guy’s career as the fresh-faced singer had come to the attention of Columbia Records and its A&R Director, Mitch Miller. At the time, the legendary Miller was on the hunt for a new star to fill the shoes of Frank Sinatra (who had just left the label). Miller saw instant potential in the 20-something singer but before signing him insisted that he change his name. Thus, Al Cernic became Guy Mitchell.

Sinatra’s departure from Columbia benefited Guy in many ways. Not only was the label anxious to find a new male vocalist but it also had unused song material which Sinatra had discarded. This further good fortune resulted in Guy recording, “My Heart Cries for You” and “Roving Kind”. Both sides to this disc achieved sales of two million in 1951.

After just a few 78-rpm single releases, Mitch Miller had transformed Guy from a local star to the nation’s favourite pop idol. This exposure ensured him a successful run of American hits until the end of the 1950s. His presence was also felt overseas with the release of songs like “A Beggar In Love”, "She Wears Red Feathers", "Look At That Girl" and the catchy single “Chicka Boom” from his first major film role in 'Those Redheads from Seattle'. Guy became especially popular in England and Australia, where his concerts regularly sold out and singles reached the top of the charts. In 1954, as well as starring in his second picture "Red Garters" Guy also had the privilege to perform before Queen Elizabeth II at the prestigious Royal Variety Show in London (England).

Guy Mitchell on the covers of two 1950s music magazines

By the mid-1950s, Guy’s mentor Mitch Miller encouraged him to work with other fine musicians such as Ray Conniff, Jimmy Carroll and Joe Sherman. These new collaborations kept the “Mitchell” sound firmly on the pulse of the current pop trends. A perfect example of this was the partnership with Ray Conniff as this generated Guy his biggest chart success, "Singing the Blues" (originally a hit for Marty Robbins). Recorded in 1956, this ditty sold more than ten million copies worldwide and topped the American charts for a staggering ten weeks.

More hits followed in a similar country/rock ‘n’ roll vein such as "Knee Deep in the Blues" and "Rock-A-Billy". For three months in 1957 Guy also hosted for the ABC network his own variety entertainment series "The Guy Mitchell Show". In 1959, Guy released "Heartaches by the Number" which was another million seller and his last international pop hit.

Throughout the 1960s, musical tastes were on the turn and Guy found his style very much out in the cold. His contract with Columbia Records therefore ended in 1962. This concluded a successful partnership that produced over 25 hit records and achieved sales of over 44 million. It was also during this decade that Guy appeared on American screens in the television western 'Whispering Smith' (detailed below) and made his final feature length movie 'The Wild Westerners'. Continuing this country theme Guy released two Nashville produced studio albums in 1967-8.

WHISPERING SMITH
At a time when private eye shows and westerns were all the rage this was an attempt by America's NBC network to fill their schedule with a series that ticked both boxes. The character Whispering Smith was based on the novel by Frank H. Spearman and indeed was a detective in the 1870s for a Colorado-based railroad company. It was Texas born actor Audie Murphy who was cast as Tom "Whispering" Smith with Guy playing his partner Detective George Romack.

Guy Mitchell in promotion stills from the 1961 TV series "Whispering Smith"

Filming of the series began in 1959 but due to a series of ill fated events which included Guy suffering the effects of a riding accident it didn't premiere until 1961. Twenty 30-minute episodes of the show were eventually broadcast to US audiences between the 8 May and 18 September 1961. These featured notable guest spots by Robert Redford, Richard Chamberlain ('Dr. Kildare'), Minerva Urecal ('Peter Gunn') and Alan Hale Jr. ('Gilligan's Island').

Although the series was praised by the critics for its good acting it lacked a consistently strong storyline and also caused controversy when some deemed it too violent for television. Thus, it was not a surprise when the show was cancelled after its first season with six episodes remaining unaired. To many this black and white show is regarded as a bit of a cult classic so it is hoped it will eventually surface in DVD format!

By the mid-1970s, America’s one-time “Prince of Pop” had decided to go into semi-retirement concentrating on his ranching and love for the 'great outdoors'. The 1980s heralded a renaissance for the singer when an appearance on a television tribute to Mitch Miller spurred a new album.

A series of comeback tours in England, Ireland, Australia and America kept Guy continually busy into the 1990s. This renewed interest also sparked a barrage of re-releases of many of his earlier recordings for Columbia Records. The decade however closed on a very sad note when the much-loved singer, aged 72, passed away in a Las Vegas hospital after complications following surgery.