Alan Mills

Mills began singing and recording traditional music from Canada, accompanying himself on guitar. His first album, Let’s Sing a Little, was released by RCA Victor. He composed the classic folk song “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” (with lyrics by Rose Bonne) which was later recorded by Burl Ives, Peter Paul and Mary and many others. He published a book, The Alan Mills Book of Folk Songs and Ballads, in 1949. — Wikipedia

Canadian Alan Mills (1913-1977) forsook a career in journalism to become a prominent folksinger, actor, and the host of a folk music radio show for children. He can be heard in over 20 Smithsonian Folkways recordings, both for adults and for young people. — Smithsonian Folkways

His contribution to Canadian folklore was recognized when he was awarded the Order of Canada in 1974.  Shortly after that, he developed the cancer that killed him. — Edith Fowke, Alan Mills’ collaborator and friend.

Among the many folk albums that Mills recorded for Folkways were three maritime-themed collections, Songs of the Sea (as Alan Mills and the Shanty Men) in 1957, We’ll Rant and We’ll Roar in 1958 and Songs of the Maritimes in 1959. [The liner notes provide no information regarding the identity of who “the Shanty Men” were.]

Alan Mills had learned how to sing shanties when he worked with John Goss, who was a great expert on English sea songs, so he could keep the treatment authentic. — liner notes from Songs of the Sea