Mildred Mulcay

American harmonica player. Part of "The Mulcays" with her husband Jimmy Mulcay, a harmonica duo. Born in California, USA.
Mildred was one of the first women to play harmonica professionally. She was a trained musician working in an all-girl band when she met Jimmy Mulcay, a Marine Band harmonica player. Twelve weeks after meeting, they were married. The first time they played together on stage, Mildred played piano, but as she practiced and experimented with a chromatic harp, she eventually became better than her husband and took over the solos, while he switched to chords.The Mulcays were a popular act, touring around the world, entertaining troops and appearing in movies and on radio shows.
The Mulcays recording of "My Happiness" became a million seller in 1953. The Mulcays played popular songs and very little blues, but in the movie, "Variety Girl" in 1947, Mildred and Jimmy tore it up on "Tiger Rag" and "Mildred's Boogie." They toured with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Red Skeleton and appeared on Jack Benny and Ed Sullivan. The couple was the first pop harmonica group to use amplifiers.
Also in 1948 came the very first song title to feature a harmonica-playing woman. Again, Mildred and Jimmy Mulcay provided the soundtrack and Patricia Koren took the vocal on a minor classic recorded by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra called, "When Veronica Played the Harmonica (On the Beach in Santa Monica)". This was also the last song title to feature a harmonica-playing gal until Paula Rangell recorded "Harmonica Girl" a few years ago.
The couple settled in the Hollywood Hills and continued to work as a duo until Jimmy died in 1968. Mildred then fronted the Don Les Harmonicats for about ten years and played the cruise ship circuit until retiring to Las Vegas, Nevada.