Mitch Miller

Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller (July 4, 1911 – July 31, 2010) was a prominent figure in the American music industry. Miller was involved in almost all aspects of the industry, working as a musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R (artists and repertoire) man and record company executive. Miller was one of the most influential figures in American popular music during the 1950s and early 1960s, both as the head of A&R at Columbia Records and as a best-selling recording artist with an NBC television series, Sing Along with Mitch. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester in the early 1930s, Miller began his musical career as an accomplished player of the oboe and English horn, and recorded several highly regarded classical albums featuring his instrumental work, but he is best remembered as a conductor, choral director, television performer and recording executive.

source: Wikipedia