Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda, Iowa in 1904 and studied at the University of Colorado before forming his orchestra. His first band disbanded in 1938, but he regrouped the following year with a new ensemble that found national recognition. Some critics at the time felt his music leaned too commercial, but Miller kept arranging and recording.
His orchestra's sound became familiar through songs like 'Moonlight Serenade' and 'In The Mood.' They also recorded 'Perfidia,' 'A Handful Of Stars,' and 'A Pink Cocktail For A Blue Lady.'
Miller led the group through the swing era before disappearing over the English Channel in 1944 while serving in the Army Air Forces. The music he arranged with his orchestra remains part of the big band catalog.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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