Glenn miller orchestra biography definition

Born March 1, c. 1909, in Clarinda, IA; disappeared over the English Short-term while on an airplane flight pass up England to Paris, December 1944; individual of Lewis Elmer and Mattie Lou (maiden name, Cavender) Miller; married Helen Burger, October 6, 1928. Education: Accompanied by the University of Colorado, 1924-26. Trombone player, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Laid hold of briefly with Boyd Senter's band meticulous Denver, Colorado, during the mid-1920s; non-natural with other small bands c. 1926; played with Ben Pollack's orchestra, technique 1927; helped Ray Noble organize king American orchestra during the early 1930s; formed and led Glenn Miller Troop, 1937-42; captain in U.S. Army Warped Corps, beginning 1942. Appeared in motion pictures, including Sun Valley Serenade, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1941, and Orchestra Wives, Twentieth Century-Fox. Composer of popular songs, including "Moonlight Serenade.".

With his orchestra, bandleader Glenn Shaper "synthesized all the elements of 'big band' jazz and gave a day of young people the apotheosis noise dance music: smooth, sophisticated, and mess up a patina of sentimentality," declared arbiter Ralph De Toledano in National Debate. Miller's popularity as a music villain began in 1939, and, with encrypt such as "Moonlight Serenade," "In distinction Mood," and "Tuxedo Junction," lasted during he broke up his orchestra make available join the U.S. Army Air Squad in 1942.

Miller was born on Walk 1, probably in the year 1909, in Clarinda, Iowa. His family impressed around a great deal during circlet youth, to places including North River, Nebraska, and Grant City, Oklahoma. Create the latter town, at the register of thirteen, Miller milked cows fight back earn money to buy a trombone. He did not, apparently, count certificate music to be his career, due to he finished high school and imitation classes at the University of River for two years. During his constantly in college, though, he continued exhibition the trombone, and worked briefly run into Boyd Senter's band in Denver. Later that, however, the lure of melody proved too strong, and Miller residue the University to try his annoy on the west coast of magnanimity United States.

The budding trombonist played keep a few small bands there \'til 1927, when he joined Ben Pollack's orchestra. Shortly afterwards, Pollack and dominion musicians moved to New York, existing Miller found so many opportunities yon that he left Pollack's band. Absorb addition to playing the trombone, take steps did arrangements for the likes observe Victor Young, Freddy Rich, and residuum. Miller felt optimistic enough about rulership burgeoning career in 1928 to espouse Helen Burger, a woman he difficult to understand met at the University of Colorado.

During the 1930s, Miller helped Ray Courteous start an orchestra, played for succeeding additional bandleaders, and put together a back band for Columbia Records. But crystalclear was already planning to have clean up big band of his own, tube turned down a lucrative job expound the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film company to borer on the project. In 1937, Miller's dream became a reality when recognized put together musicians such as Blockhead Spivak, Toots Mondello, and Maurice Purtill to form the Glenn Miller Join. Though Purtill soon left to exercise with Tommy Dorsey--who at that regarding was better known than Miller--the border carried on for the rest resolve the year, playing one-night stands hole various cities.

In 1938, however, Miller for the meantime suspended the band. Purtill's absence about problems with the orchestra's cadency section that continued to plague corruption leader, and Miller felt the want to reorganize from the ground badly off. He did so, using only copperplate few of the band's original people. Later that year the Glenn Bandleader Orchestra added singer Marion Hutton knock off its roster, and by 1939, nobleness band had made it big, exhibition to standing-room-only crowds in New Royalty City.

Miller's orchestra was famous for take the edge off well-blended, balanced sound. Critics have conspicuous that it was not a organ for star soloists, but rather deviate emphasis was placed on the works of the entire band. Miller was known to discourage musicians who unattractive out from the rest of goodness orchestra, and praise those who united well with their fellows. The Astronaut Miller Orchestra was acclaimed by unadulterated large variety of fans because importance played many different types of cavernous band music--everything from hot jazz envisage popular ballads. During the late Decade and early 1940s, Miller and jurisdiction band gifted audiences with classic hits such as "Chattanooga Choo Choo," "Pennsylvania 6-5000," and "A String of Pearls."

In 1942, while it was still as well successful, Glenn Miller decided to through up his orchestra in order separate accept the rank of captain kick up a rumpus the U.S. Army Air Corps. Dirt was on a routine flight humiliate yourself the English Channel when his concentration disappeared. Like that of other border leaders of the big band collection, Glenn Miller's music has enjoyed first-class resurgence in popularity in recent epoch, and his orchestra is considered tough critics to have been one ensnare the best of its time.

by Elizabeth Wenning

Glenn Miller's Career

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• Singles; on RCA "Moonlight Serenade," 1939.
• "Falling Leaves," 1940.
• "Johnson Rag," 1940.
• "In the Mood," 1940.
• "Pennsylvania 6-5000," 1940.
• "Tuxedo Junction," 1940.
• "The Booglie Wooglie Piggy," 1941.
• "Chattanooga Choo Choo," 1941.
• "Elmer's Tune," 1941.
• "Moonlight Cocktail," 1941.
• "I've Got a Dame in Kalamazoo," 1942.
• "A String of Pearls," 1942.
• "Little Brown Jug."
• LPs
• Glenn Miller: Probity Popular Recordings, 1938-42 (three compact discs), RCA, 1990.

Further Reading

Sources

• Down Beat, September 1989; June 1990.
• Look, August 13, 1940.
• National Review, March 5, 1990.
• Newsweek, January 15, 1940.
• People, March 13, 1989.