The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra

"The hardest thing in the world is to start an orchestra - and the next hardest, to stop it."

That bit of wisdom was uttered by Hans Richter more than a century ago, but he might ery well have speaking about the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

The first orchestra Glenn Miller formed didn't make it at all. It was a total and absolute failure. But Glenn knew what he wanted, held to that dedication and relentlessly worked to succeed. He launched his seconed band in March of 1938, and unlike the first band, it became an enormous success. And it has been a "hit" ever since.

The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful of all the dance bandleaders back in the Swing era of the 1930s and '40s. A matchless string of hit records, the constant impact of radio broadcasts, and the drawing power at theatres, hotels and dance pavillions built and sustainted the momentum of popularity.

Glenn disbanded his musical organization in 1942, at the height of its popularity, volunteered for the army and then organized and led the famous Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. It went to Europe to entertain servicemen, and then, on December 15, 1944, Major Miller took off in a single-engine plane from England to pecede his band to France, never to be seen again. The army declared him officially dead a year later.

Due to the popular demand, the Miller Estate authorized the formation of the present Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1956 under the direction of drummer Ray McKinley, who had become the unofficial leader of the Army Air Force Band afte Glenn's disappearance. Since then, other leaders have followed Ray including clarinetists Buddy DeFranco and Peanuts Hucko, trombonists Buddy Morrow, Jimmmy Henderson, Larry O' Brien and tenor saxophonist Dick Gerhart.

Inquire about The Glenn Miller Orchestra at our Contact Us page.

In The Mood
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Tuxedo Junction
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Moonlight Serenade
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