The magic of Frank Mills

Canadian-born pianist and recording artist Frank Mills returns to St. Albert’s Arden Theatre on Wednesday, May 17 as part of a mini western Canadian tour.

The Quebec-born musician-composer steps out of retirement for a couple of weeks every year to share music, memories and laughter with fans.

His debut at the Arden in Nov. 2015 revealed an engaging, charismatic raconteur with a sense of history and an easy-going manner.

Mills gained international fame after his massive 1978 hit, Music Box Dancer, became one of the most recognizable pieces of music ever made. It topped the charts at No. 1 in 26 countries.

The single earned the once poverty-stricken composer endless royalty cheques from recordings, films and merchandise. The newly acquired wealth allowed him to move to a 40-acre farm in Vermont that he enjoys in the summer before wintering in Bermuda at his second home.

In 2015 Mills released After the Dancer, a 13-track album he produced after digitizing boxes of old recordings on tape.

“It’s representative of what I do. I call it my best masterpiece music,” said Mills who is described as the “reigning king of piano pop.”

Interestingly, Music Box Dancer is not among the instrumentals. Instead, the pianist included tunes such as A Classical Rock, a riff on Mason Williams’ Classical Gas; A Song for Haruko, a tribute to a stunningly beautiful Japanese woman; and Spanish Love Song, inspired during a trip to Spain.

“He (Mason Williams) reinforced my desire to mix the classics with the rock idiom.”

In preparation for tours, Mills prerecords all orchestral parts except the piano he plays live.

“It was inevitable I would write this kind of music. At home we listened to classical music and I learned the piano.”

Born into a musical family, his mother was a dedicated pianist and his father, a larger-than-life Irish tenor, who loved to sing and entertain. From listening to his sister play the keys, Mills mastered the piano by ear.

Unfortunately his parents’ untimely deaths from cancer before he was 17 provided a setback to his pre-med studies. Due to an encouraging friend, he switched fields into music, graduating from McGill University.

In his salad days, Mills recorded an album, worked temporarily at CBC, and was part of The Bells, a band that had international success with one single Stay Awhile.

It wasn’t until CFRA-AM, an Ottawa pop station played the B-side of a single Mills sent, that the pianist achieved any measureable fame. The B-side was, of course, Music Box Dancer.

No longer a household name, Mills is thankful for the great run he’s enjoyed and the fans that still clamour to hear his performances.

“But I think I’m becoming more of a farmer and less of a musician. I love the outdoors. I gave up tapping for maple syrup on account of my diabetes. It’s like making an alcoholic a bartender.”

“But I still cut my own firewood and I take care of cows. They’re not there all year, but we get heifers from a neighbour, fatten them up for the summer and send them back in the fall.”

Although in his mid-70s, Mills doesn’t foresee slowing down.

“I’m continually surprised at the number of people that continue to come out to my concerts. It’s a great compliment and I’m truly grateful and inspired by their interest.”