Lucky Millinder was an American swing and rhythm and blues bandleader born in 1910 in Anniston, Alabama. Born Lucius Venable, he was raised in Chicago and began his career as a dancer and master of ceremonies. In 1934, he became the leader of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. By 1940, he established his own orchestra, which included the pianist Bill Doggett and drummer Panama Francis. The ensemble achieved national recognition with the song "When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)", which reached Number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1942. In 1944, Millinder recruited the singer Wynonie Harris, and their 1945 recording "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well" spent eight weeks at Number 1 on the R&B chart. His other successful recordings included the tracks "Shorty's Got to Go" and "I'm Waiting Just for You" (1951), the latter of which reached number 2 on the R&B chart. Millinder retired from performing around 1955 and subsequently worked as a radio disc jockey and in music publishing. He died in 1966. Millinder was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1986.
