76 Facts About Glenn Miller

Alton Glenn Miller was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the US Army Air Forces.

In four years, Glenn Miller scored 16 number one records and 69 top 10 hits, more than Elvis Presley and the Beatles in their careers.

Glenn Miller's work has been performed by swing bands, jazz bands, and big bands worldwide for over 75 years.

Glenn Miller is considered to be the father of the modern US military bands.

Glenn Miller went missing in action on December 15,1944, on a flight over the English Channel.

In keeping with standard operating procedure for the US military services, Glenn Miller was officially declared dead a year and a day later.

Glenn Miller added the second n to "Glenn" during high school.

Glenn Miller attended grade school in North Platte in western Nebraska.

Glenn Miller played cornet and mandolin, but he switched to trombone by 1916.

Glenn Miller was named Best Left End in Colorado in 1921.

For two years, Glenn Miller was one of the editors of his own high school yearbook, "Memories".

Glenn Miller missed his own graduation because he was performing out of town.

In 1923, Glenn Miller entered the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he joined Sigma Nu fraternity.

Glenn Miller spent most of his time away from school, attending auditions and playing any gigs he could get, including with Boyd Senter's band in Denver.

Glenn Miller arranged that tune for big band and renamed it.

In 1926, Glenn Miller toured with several groups, landing a good spot in Ben Pollack's group in Los Angeles.

Glenn Miller played for Victor Young, which allowed him to be mentored by other professional musicians.

Glenn Miller realized that his future was in arranging and composing.

Glenn Miller had a songbook published in Chicago in 1928 entitled 125 Jazz Breaks for Trombone by the Melrose Brothers.

Glenn Miller wrote his first composition, "Room 1411", with Benny Goodman, and Brunswick Records released it as a 78 rpm record under the name "Benny Goodman's Boys".

Glenn Miller was a member of Red Nichols' orchestra in 1930, and because of Nichols, he played in the pit bands of two Broadway shows, Strike Up the Band and Girl Crazy.

Beside Glenn Miller were saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, guitarist Eddie Condon, and drummer Gene Krupa.

Glenn Miller made his first movie appearance in The Big Broadcast of 1936 as a member of the Ray Noble Orchestra performing "Why Stars Come Out at Night".

In 1937, Glenn Miller compiled several arrangements and formed his first band.

Glenn Miller realized that he needed to develop a unique sound and decided to make the clarinet play a melodic line with a tenor saxophone holding the same note, while three other saxophones harmonized within a single octave.

Glenn Miller hired Schwartz but had him play lead clarinet instead of the saxophone.

Glenn Miller talked about his style in the May 1939 issue of Metronome magazine.

In September 1938, the Glenn Miller band began recording for Bluebird, a subsidiary of RCA Victor.

The Glenn Miller orchestra performed "Chattanooga Choo Choo" with his singers Gordon "Tex" Beneke, Paula Kelly and the Modernaires.

The Glenn Miller band returned to Hollywood to film 1942's Orchestra Wives, featuring Jackie Gleason playing a part as the group's bassist.

Louis Armstrong thought enough of Glenn Miller to carry around his recordings, transferred to seven-inch tape reels when he went on tour.

Torme credited Glenn Miller with giving him helpful advice when he first started his singing and songwriting career in the 1940s.

Torme and Glenn Miller discussed "That Old Black Magic", which was just emerging as a new song by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen.

Glenn Miller was a major exponent of modern jazz in the '50s.

Glenn Miller never saw Miller as leading a swinging jazz band, but DeFranco is extremely fond of certain aspects of the Glenn Miller style.

At 38, married and needing corrective eyeglasses, Glenn Miller was classified 3-A for the draft and unlikely to be called to service.

Glenn Miller first applied for a commission in the US Navy but was turned down.

Glenn Miller then applied to the US Army with whom he had privately explored the possibility of enlisting.

Glenn Miller received a one-month delay to settle his business affairs.

Glenn Miller made his final commercial broadcast for Chesterfield Cigarettes on September 24,1942.

On October 7,1942, Glenn Miller reported to the Seventh Service Command at Omaha as a captain in the Army Specialist Corps.

Glenn Miller was initially assigned to the AAF Southeast Flying Training Command at Maxwell Field, Alabama for orientation as assistant special service officer, traveling to different AAF training bases in the region to learn the mission of the training command.

Glenn Miller appeared over WAPI radio Birmingham, performing with the Rhythmaires, a 15-piece base band.

Effective January 1,1943, Glenn Miller was assigned to the headquarters of the AAF Technical Training Command at Knollwood Field, Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Walter R Weaver, Miller became director of bands for the AAFTTC.

Detached to the AAF Training Center at Atlantic City, New Jersey, Glenn Miller screened personnel for assignment to various AAF base bands across the nation and recruited many for an elite unit that he would direct himself.

Glenn Miller's unit was authorized on March 20,1943, and billeted at the AAF Training School at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

Glenn Miller would successfully attempt to fuse jazz, popular music and light classics, including strings, which was an evolutionary step beyond his civilian band.

The Glenn Miller unit resumed the series when they returned from the European Theater in August 1945.

Glenn Miller's distinguished orchestra was attached to SHAEF in London, and was quartered at Milton Ernest near Bedford, England.

Glenn Miller arranged for new quarters and transportation to move to Bedford on Sunday, July 2,1944.

One of its German language programs was "Music for the Wehrmacht", in which Glenn Miller made announcements in phonetic German scripts with a German-speaking announcer named "Isle", who was actually ABSIE announcer Gloria Wagner.

On December 11,1944, Niven ordered Glenn Miller to replace his executive officer, Lt.

Glenn Miller was frustrated and impatient, fearing that arrangements would not be made in time to accommodate the movement of his unit to France.

At 13:45 Morgan landed at Twinwood, boarded Baessell and Glenn Miller, and took off at 13:55.

The Eighth Air Force and SHAEF did not realize that the UC-64 with Glenn Miller aboard was missing until three days later, on Monday, December 18,1944.

Meanwhile, Glenn Miller's unit had flown safely from England to France aboard three C-47 transports and prepared to begin their broadcasting and concert duties.

When Glenn Miller was officially declared dead in December 1945, Helen received a formal letter of condolence and appreciation from Gen.

Glenn Miller was missing in action on December 15,1944, and his remains were not recoverable.

Glenn Miller had no other duties than as a musical and broadcasting officer.

Glenn Miller was not the victim of foul play or friendly fire.

In 2019, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery was reported to be investigating a report that Glenn Miller's airplane was possibly discovered many miles west of its required flight path but nothing further has been reported or found.

Glenn Miller's music is still played worldwide by professional and amateur musicians every day, including BBC radio.

When Glenn Miller was alive, many bandleaders such as Bob Chester imitated his style.

This, coupled with the success of The Glenn Miller Story, inspired the Miller estate to ask Ray McKinley to lead a new ghost band called the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Glenn Miller is considered to be the father of all modern United States military bands.

In 1953, Universal-International pictures released The Glenn Miller Story, starring James Stewart; Ray Eberle, Marion Hutton, and Tex Beneke neither appear in nor are referred to in it.

Annual festivals celebrating Glenn Miller's legacy are held in two of the towns most associated with his youth, Clarinda, Iowa, and Fort Morgan, Colorado.

In 1989, Glenn Miller's daughter bought the house where Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda.

The Glenn Miller Foundation was created to oversee its restoration.

Glenn Miller graduated from Fort Morgan High School, where he played football and other sports, was on the yearbook staff, was in the orchestra, and formed his own band with classmates.

Each year, about 2,000 people attend this summer festival, which serves to introduce younger generations to the music Glenn Miller made famous, as well as the style of dance and dress popular in the big-band era.

In 2002, the Glenn Miller Museum opened to the public at the former RAF Twinwood Farm, in Clapham, Bedfordshire, England.

Glenn Miller's government-issued, white marble, memorial headstone is located in Memorial Section H by Wilson Drive at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

Glenn Miller was awarded a Star for Recording on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Major Glenn Miller constantly sought to increase the services rendered by his organization, and it was through him that the band was ordered to Paris to give this excellent entertainment to as many troops as possible.