Source Material: Frank Mills – “When You Smile”

Frank Mills is a Canadian pianist an singer from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  He grew up in a musical family; his mother was a pianist, and his father was a singer.  Mills started playing the piano at three years old.  However, he didn’t pursue a musical career until college.  In the ’60s, he studied engineering at McGill University before he ultimately switched to music.  A few years after he graduated, he joined The Bells, a soft rock band from Canada who had a solid run in the ’60s and ’70s.  Mills was the pianist from 1969-1971, but he left to pursue a solo career.

In 1971, he released his debut album, Seven of My Songs.  The album featured one of his earlier hits, “Love Me, Love Me Love,” which peaked at #1 in Canada and #46 in the US. Over the next three years, he released three albums: Reflections of My Childhood (1972), Le Grand Orchestre De Frank Mills (1974), and The Poet and I (1974).   The Poet and I is important because it produced his most well-known song, “Music Box Dancer.”  The track went gold and it was a top 40 hit in the US.  The Poet and I also feature “When You Smile,” a deep cut that reflects how solid the album was.

Frank Mills – “When You Smile”