Glenn Miller

Bandleader of the Swing Era

Alton Glenn Miller was born March 1, 1904 in Clarinda, Iowa to Lewis Elmer Miller and Mattie Lou Cavender Miller. He was moved to Nebraska during his early formative years, then to Missouri where he bought his first trombone and finally his family moved to Colorado where he attended high school. By the time he graduated High School he had decided to become a professional musician.

In 1923 Glenn Miller attended college in Colorado, but couldn’t keep his interests focused in the books. He ended up dropping out of college to follow his musician dreams to become a Big Bandleader during the Swing era. By 1934 Glenn Miller had signed on with the Dorsey Brothers as the trombonist and arranger, but left them almost a year later to help organize a band for Ray Noble. In 1935 Glenn Miller was recording music under his own name like “Solo Hop” and by 1939 he had many other hits “Sunrise Serenade” “Moonlight Serenade” “Wishing (will make it so)” and “Over the Rainbow” to name of few chart toppers in his portfolio.

By 1942 Glenn Miller was organizing a service band for military functions performing live and by broadcast for the troops. Unfortunately Glenn Miller’s plane went missing December 15, 1944 over the English Channel on its way to Paris during WW II and he died at a young age of 40.