SURREY 鈥� turns 75 years of age in June, but he鈥檚 not about to call his current tour a final bow.
On the phone from Vermont, the Quebec-born musician sounds excited to be performing in concert halls this spring, including 性视界传媒鈥檚 Bell Performing Arts Centre on Friday, May 5.
The good-natured piano man, whose 鈥淢usic Box Dancer鈥� became a massive hit in 1979, is loving life in America鈥檚 beautiful New England region.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a long story why we live here,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 had a ski house here years and years ago, and when Brenda and I got married 16 years ago we decided we wanted live here, and here we are. We love it here. It鈥檚 very civilized, and it鈥檚 not an overly populated state to begin with, and that suits me fine. It鈥檚 very rural, a country place, and that鈥檚 the way we like it.鈥�
The place doesn鈥檛 have a home studio, and that also suits him fine.
鈥淚鈥檓 not recording anymore,鈥� Mills noted. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an expression that says, to every thing there鈥檚 a season, and I see my grandchildren playing piano and listening to music and they鈥檙e not listening to what I used to listen to, and I鈥檓 not listening to what they listen to. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be contributing in any way. They listen to my piano and orchestra stuff and one of them said, 鈥楪osh, I鈥檝e never heard a real orchestra before.鈥� That was a final kicker,鈥� he added with a laugh. 鈥淵ou know, 鈥楪ive it up, granddad!鈥欌��
Mills鈥� coming tour of Canada鈥檚 western provinces will include music from his recent 鈥淎fter the Dancer鈥� album, a collection of songs that were eclipsed, commercially, by the success of his best known song.
鈥淢usic Box Dancer鈥� was written and recorded in 1974, but it didn鈥檛 become a hit for Mills until five years later.
鈥淚t was such a mega-hit and mega-surprise, it still goes on, just mind-boggling,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 wonderful, of course, and I鈥檓 proud of it. The other thing is, and don鈥檛 tell anybody, but it was just another song, you know? And when it took off, I was in the business for long enough to kind of realize what was happening, but as a piano player with an orchestra, it totally caught me off guard. A lot of things happened in a big way, and in a hurry, during that time.鈥�
In 2010, after a period of retirement from music, Mills was asked by Rita MacNeil to join him on a Christmas-themed tour that included a concert at 性视界传媒鈥檚 Bell. Mills fondly remembers the singer, who died three years later.
鈥淩ita was just such a typical Maritimer, with a great sense of humour, and nothing bothered her,鈥� Mills recalled. 鈥淪he was very nervous before she went out (on stage), ironically. For me, I tend not to be that way anymore, it鈥檚 just fun for me to meet the folks. But her, she鈥檇 be very hyper before she went on stage and I鈥檇 try to cheer her up and break the ice a bit, and once she got out there she was fine.鈥�
More than ever, Mills said he gives his performances some personality.
鈥淢y style, maybe it puts people to sleep sometimes, because I鈥檓 so laid-back,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淏ut really, I like to talk to the audience now more than I used to, and now I鈥檓 not afraid to tell them some of the things I wouldn鈥檛 have told them years ago 鈥� the seedy side of life, you know. Most of the songs have a story with them, and that鈥檚 what people want to hear.鈥�
鈥� Tickets for 鈥淎n Evening with Frank Mills鈥� at the Bell are $61 via .
tom.zillich@ surreynowleader.com
