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Glenn Miller

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first "moonlight serenade." Glenn’s first serenade was not particularly unique as it had been sung by children for centuries and was barely heard across South 16th Street. However, his second Moonlight Serenade was a composition he wrote while studying music under Dr. Schillinger in New York City. Glenn’s second Moonlight Serenade was unique, becoming the theme song of his number one Big Band and heard literally all around the world.

Glenn’s grandparents were a part of the westward movement of people during the 1800's and moved to the Clarinda area around 1870. During their stay in Southwest Iowa, their son Elmer married Mattie Lou Cavender and before this young couple left Clarinda, their first son, Dean, was born; followed by a second son, Alton Glenn Miller, on March 1, 1904.

In hopes of a brighter future, the young couple decided to homestead and moved on west in 1907 to Tryon, Nebraska where they lived in a sod house. In the evenings, Glenn’s mother, Mattie Lou, would play a simple pump organ which helped ease the lonesome existence on the flatlands of Nebraska. If you think it is a long lonely drive across Nebraska today, you can imagine what it was like to be there in 1907. Mattie Lou started a school called Happy Hollow and her children would sing songs as they rode in a wagon on their way to school. The soothing music of his mother in their sod house and the uplifting songs on the way to school must have given Glenn a greater meaning and appreciation for music. Before leaving the sod house, Mattie Lou gave birth to a third son, Herb, in 1913.

In 1915, Glenn’s family moved to Grant City, Missouri where he went to grade school, worked for the town bandsman John Mosbarger, was given his first trombone and then played in the town band.

In 1918, Glenn’s family, including an infant daughter, Irene, moved again to Fort Morgan, Colorado where Glenn went to high school. During his senior year, Glenn decided to try the game of football, and by the end of the season, he was chosen by the Colorado High School Sports Association as "the best left end in Colorado." Football wasn’t Glenn’s only interest, however, as he had become very interested in a new sound called dance band music. Glenn enjoyed this music so much that he and some classmates decided to start their own band. In fact, Glenn was so excited about this new music that when it came time for his graduation in 1921, he decided to skip his graduation ceremonies and instead traveled to Laramie, Wyoming to play in a band. Meanwhile, back home, Glenn’s mother had to accept his diploma and the principal commented, "Maybe you’re the one who should get it anyway; you probably worked harder on it than he did!"

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Extended Analysis

The Glenn Miller Orchestra: In the Mood

Read "The Glenn Miller Orchestra: In the Mood" reviewed by Jack Bowers


You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of big bands formed in the 1930s that continue to perform today, long after the storied Big Band Era has faded from national craze to modest footnote in American musical history. Foremost among the survivors is the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the latest incarnation of which was established more than half a century ago in 1956, about a dozen years after Miller's disappearance on a presumably routine flight over the ...

1,023
Swing Set

Glenn Miller: In the Mood

Read "Glenn Miller: In the Mood" reviewed by David Rickert


One Of the Kings Of Swing

While many people argued whether Goodman or Shaw was the better musician, nobody during the Swing Era could ignore that Glenn Miller left both of them in his wake once he hit the scene. Sure, the bespectacled, tight-lipped bandleader seemed more like the leader of a choir than a swing band, but his keen arranging skills and ear for melody ensured that at least every other tune he recorded seemed like the anthem of ...

448
Opinion

Glenn Miller: The Godfather Of Bop?

Read "Glenn Miller: The Godfather Of Bop?" reviewed by Richard Jessen


The idea of Glenn Miller being the godfather of bop at first sounds like the most outlandish of ideas. Yet this is just what he became. In 1939, Glenn Miller recorded the first evidence we have of what would become known as be-bop (later known as bop).

Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary tells us that bop is “jazz characterized by harmonic complexity, convoluted melodic lines, and constant shifting of accents and played at a very rapid tempo." The word ...

226
Album Review

Glenn Miller: Miller plays Mercer

Read "Miller plays Mercer" reviewed by Ian Nicolson


Chapter 1 - in which the cat gets the cream. The Miller band at the height of their powers playing sixteen lapidary lyrical gems from Porter's equal, Johnny Mercer, recorded when both were flying. And although Mercer's albums with Benny Goodman are better celebrated, Miller's respect for the man he called the best matches Mercer smile for smile and innuendo for innuendo.His band's witty, stylish charts, cushioned by the insouciant confidence of a nation not at war, slink ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade." Glenn’s first serenade was not ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade." Glenn’s first serenade was not ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade." Glenn’s first serenade was not ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade." Glenn’s first serenade was not ...

Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Glenn Miller legacy

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Glenn Miller legacy

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

How well do contemporary musicians recreate the sound of a band from 80 years ago? This week, let's find out by taking a look at some videos featuring the Glenn Miller Orchestra, which will be in St. Louis to perform next Wednesday, August 14 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. One of the most successful bands of the Swing Era, Miller's orchestra may not have reached the artistic heights of Ellington or Basie, but they were very popular in the years ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade... Read more.

Place our Musician ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade... Read more.

Place our Musician ...

Festival

Jazz this week: Antonio Hart, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Norah Jones, St. Louis Piano Festival, and more

Jazz this week: Antonio Hart, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Norah Jones, St. Louis Piano Festival, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

With spring winding down and summer just ahead, this week's calendar of jazz and creative music is a bit back-loaded, with several of the more noteworthy musicians visiting our town scheduled to perform early next week rather than over the weekend. Fortunately, St. Louis' local musicians and singers also have a few things planned between now and then. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, May 31 With Jazz at the Bistro now on its weekends-only summer schedule, there's no live ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade... Read more.

Place our Musician ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Jazz Musician of the Day: Glenn Miller

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Glenn Miller's birthday today!

Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first “moonlight serenade... Read more.

Place our Musician ...

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