Charlie Spivak's band was owned by Glenn Miller?

Bandleader Charlie Spivak is remembered for playing a brilliant open horn, which press agents called the sweetest trumpet" in the world.

In reading about Charlie and his start as a bandleader, after a number of years as a sideman in Ben Pollock's band with Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman, plus Ray Nobles's band (created by Glenn Miller) and others, we are once again confronted with the question of "Who actually owned many of the Big Bands?"

Tommy Dorsey, for example, "loaned" Glenn Miller the funds to start his second band. The story goes that when Glenn went to pay Dorsey back....Tommy said "pay me back!...I bought a piece of your band!" Glenn politely said "no way."

Now we find Glenn in a reverse role with Charle Spivak. Glenn was one of Charlie Spivak's close friends, whom he could turn to for advice on being a bandleader. When Spivak organized his own group in late 1939, Glenn Miller not only helped select the band members, but also financed the band according to one of Spivak's singers, Gary Stevens.(died age 93 on 12/8/2009) .

Did Miller now own a piece of the Spivak band? Anyone have more info?

Shop for big band music: Memory Lane Shop

Glenn Miller's Army Air Corp band remembered

This is from “Stars and Stripes”, London, Monday, August 21, 1944, page 2. The headline was "THE KIND OF BRASS WE GO FOR GI FEET TAP OUT HIS PAYCHECK AS MILLER PLAYS IT HOT, SWEET" By Peter Lisagor Stars and Stripes Staff Writer.

A LIBERATOR BASE, Aug. 20 – Maj. Glenn Miller, still scorching his trombone with sweet breaks, has brought his magical arrangements and a 45-man band of GIs to the swing-hungry ETO, and if luck holds he hopes to offer two Continental concerts for an all soldier audience – in Paris and Berlin. In a room marked “Gentlemen” – the only place he could be separated from throngs of idolators and autograph seekers (it was crowded but the jostling was more purposeful) – Miller told how thrilled he was by his present mission. “Gen. Doolittle put it best,” Miller said “when he told us that every soldier over here is bucking for one thing – to get home. He can’t do that until the job is done, so the next best thing is to bring a little bit of home to him. That’s our mission”.

By way of fulfilling it, Miller confines his concerts to the old familiar tunes, each with their thousands of memories for the soldier. “They haven’t heard the new tunes” he explained, “but ‘String of Pearls’, ‘In the Mood’, ‘Cow-Cow Boogie’, ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo-Choo’ remind them of the days and nights they treasured. And the lads eat it up”.

Miller, whose band was tops in the U. S. for three years before he volunteered for the Army, he was over age at the time, used to count the house in civilian life – “every head meant about 60 cents to me” – but now, he says, his reward comes from the eager faces, alive and thankful for the memories. “The best night’s pay I ever got was watching those faces light up when we played,” he said. “I feel now as though I am doing something very worthwhile.”

He wants no controversy with Sigmund Romberg and the other long-haired musicians back home who claim the GI will want musical sedatives other than jive after the war. His answer is simply “let them bring that kind of music over here and see for themselves.”

Miller thinks his GI band is better than the one that brought him fame in the States. He has a string section of 20 men – drawn from the Cleveland, Boston and New York Philharmonic orchestras – so called “long-hairs” who, as one of them put it, are delighted because Miller is a real musician and he knows what those boys out there want.”

Five members of the band played with Miller as civilians – among them S/Sgt. Jimmy Priddy on the trombone, M/Sgt. Zeke Zerchy on the trumpet and S/Sgt. “Trigger” Alpert on the bass. Pianist Sgt. Mel Powell was with Benny Goodman. S/Sgt. Hank Freeman was first sax with Artie Shaw, Sgt. Bobby Nichols was a trumpeter with Vaughn Monroe, Sgt. Bernie Privin played trumpet with Charlie Barnet, Goodman and Shaw and Sgt. Carmen Mastren was a guitarist with Tommy Dorsey. One of them, T/Sgt. Ray McKinley, led a well-known band of his own after years on the drums with the Dorsey Bros. and later with Jimmy Dorsey’s crew, and his drum solo is the highlight of the Miller program.

Also in the organization – which is really a complete radio production outfit – are T/Sgt. Jerry Gray, an arranger with both Miller and Shaw in civilian life, who wrote “String of Pearls” and “Here We Go Again” and made the famous arrangements of “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” for Miller and “Begin the Beguine” for Shaw; arrangers S/Sgt. Ralph Wilkinson, with Raymond Page and Andre Kostelanetz, and M/Sgt. Norman Leyden, who directed the music for Moss Hart’s “Winged Victory.” Lt. Don Haynes, Miller’s civilian manager, is his Army “booking agent.”

At this base, the heavy bomber group under Col. Luther J. Fairbanks of Burt, Iowa celebrated its 100th mission – and Miller’s band was the big event. In a giant hangar more than 3,000 GIs and their gals weaved and writhed like an agitated sea as Miller and his men went “In the Mood”. This was a Saturday night in Duluth, Atlanta, Portland, Punxutawney, Pa., and 3,000 other places in America, and one look at the sea of faces explained Miller’s “it’s the best night pay I ever got.”

Listen to the 1943 Christmas radio broadcast.

To buy Glenn Miller music CLICK HERE

Glenn Miller Band sued by Gary Tole

The Big Band Story of The Week: A former bandleader of the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra claims he was criticised by his management for hiring two musicians because they were black.

Gary Tole made the allegations in a lawsuit in which he is claiming $600,000 in damages over his dismissal in December.

In papers filed to Manhattan Federal Court, Mr Tole says the band's manager Charles DeStefano questioned his decision to recruit the black musicians in June 2011.

He claims Mr DeStefano told him: 'This is the Glenn Miller Orchestra, not the Count Basie Orchestra.'

William 'Count' Basie was a black pianist and composer who formed and led a jazz orchestra for nearly 50 years. 

Glenn Miller, who set up his eponymous band in 1938, was white.

Offended by the remark, Mr Tole claims he told the manager he 'intended to continue hiring the best musicians without regard to their race', according to the charges.

Mr DeStefano later claimed that he 'never said that', it was reported in the New York Daily News.

The lawsuit says Mr Tole was fired partly because he gave seven members of the band a public dressing down at a club in Japan.

Mr Tole apparently told them they 'played poorly, cursed loudly and acted in an obnoxious manner'.

The players said they would quit if Mr Tole wasn't dismissed.

Mr Tole is suing Glenn Miller Productions for breach of contract and employment discrimination.

Army reply to Glenn Miller's offer of WW2 service

From the files of the Glenn Miller Archive:

August 15, 1942

Mr. Glenn Miller
R. K. O. Building
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Miller,

This is to acknowledge only your very kind letter to me of August 12th, indicating your willingness to make personal, patriotic sacrifice for the duration of the war. I expect to discuss the policy and problem with General Somervell, Commanding General, Services of Supply, within the next few days, and after he has reviewed the matter, I will be able to give you a definite reply as to the attitude of the War Department and perhaps of the Government toward your indicated desire for service.

With kindest personal regards to you, your mother and your family, I am,

Very truly yours,

Brigadier General Charles D. Young

Read the previous entry.

Glenn Miller snubbed by the Nebraska Hall of Fame

Does Glenn Miller belong in a state Hall of Fame? 

The good folks who run the Nebraska Hall of Fame have deleted Glenn Miller from their list of candidates for their 2012 Hall of Fame election. Here is Glenn's list of states that he lived in; Miller was born on a farm in Clarinda, Iowa. He went to grade school in North Platte in western Nebraska. In 1915, Miller's family moved to, Missouri.  In 1918, the Miller family moved again, this time to Fort Morgan, Colorado. Later Glenn, as a professional musician, lived in California, New York and New Jersey.

The Garden State may have a better reason (except Iowa) to add Miller to their list, that includes Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Count Basie, Bruce Springsteen and Meryl Streep, since Glenn had his earliest success at the famed Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook Ballroom in Cedar Grove, New Jersey and lived in Bergen County during his peak pre-Army days. His final concert was in Passaic, NJ, prior to entering the US Army Air Corp.

 

Here is the quote from the Nebraska Journal-Star: "Musician and army band man Glenn Miller, Heisman trophy winner and war hero Nile Kinnick and Navy Admiral Dr. Richard Shippen Silvis weren't born in Nebraska, nor did they gain their fame in the state, the commission said Friday.

"All are worthy of recognition, but we get to choose one every five years for the Nebraska Hall of Fame, and they don't make that cut," Commissioner Harold Andersen said. "They've all had wonderful careers, and I hope they get recognition somewhere."

What do you think?

Read the original article: http://journalstar.com/news/local/three-names-eliminated-from-nebraska-hall-of-fame-nominee-list/article_4842d992-0b61-5c47-af57-60f96539f1b6.html#ixzz1lRYd5Oda

 

To buy Glenn Miller recordings CLICK HERE

 

 

Do you know the story of “Moonlight Serenade?

Do you know the story of “Moonlight Serenade?”  It is one of the most popular big band songs.

The music was composed by Glenn Miller and subsequent lyrics by Mitchell Parish. It was originally named “Now I Lay Me Down To Weep.”
When Miller recorded “Sunrise Serenade” in 1939, he placed this song on the back. It was an immediate phenomenon as an instrumental arrangement and was adopted as Miller’s signature tune.

The most striking part of the piece was its use of clarinet-led saxophone section, which is widely considered the classic Glenn Miller sound.
Here are the Mitchell Parish (Stardust) lyrics;

MOONLIGHT SERENADE
Glenn Miller

I stand at your gate and the song that I sing is of moonlight.
I stand and I wait for the touch of your hand in the June night.
The roses are sighing a Moonlight Serenade.

The stars are aglow and tonight how their light sets me dreaming.
My love, do you know that your eyes are like stars brightly beaming?
I bring you and sing you a Moonlight Serenade.

Glenn Miller Story actor dead at 96

Tv and film actor Harry Morgan has died at age 96 at his home in California. Glenn Miller fans will remember Morgan from two Glenn Miller films.
   In 1942, Morgan had a small part in Orchestra Wives (1942) featuring Glenn Miller. In 1953, he co-starred in The Glenn Miller Story (1954) with Jimmy Stewart. In both films he was billed as Henry Morgan. He changed it latter to avoid confusion with the radio comedian with the same stage name, Henry Morgan.

   A character actor for almost five decades, Morgan's best known tv role was playing Colonel Sherman T. Potter on the long-running Korean war comedy that starred Alan Alda as Hawkeye.
   Morgan's first major television success was as Officer Bill Gannon, Joe Friday's partner on the revived version of "Dragnet," which aired on NBC from 1967-70. (Trivia: Ben Alexander originated the part in the series that starred Jack Webb.)

   He had a long career in the movies, also, having appeared in over 100 films, many of them classics such as "The Ox-Bow Incident," "High Noon,"  and "Inherit the Wind." He was married to Eileen Detchon for 45 years until her death in 1985.
Morgan was born in Detroit, on April 10, 1915.
   He is survived by his wife second wife Barbara and three sons from his first marriage, Christopher, Charles and Paul... and eight grandchildren.

New info on the disappearance of Major Glenn Miller

MAJOR GLENN MILLER

Our friend Dennis Spragg has sent this message today from the University of Colorado Boulder American Music Research Center Glenn Miller Archive:

We are pleased to announce the verification of an important discovery that correlates to the events of 15 December 1944 and the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Major A. Glenn Miller aboard United States Army Air Forces (AAF) UC-64A-type aircraft 44-70285. 

The late Richard Anderton was employed at the Miles Aircraft Establishment atWoodley Airfield, England. Mr. Anderton kept detailed daily observations of the movements of aircraft in the skies around the airfield and in all directions. The observations were arranged in a consistent and precise manner that noted the location of passing aircraft, estimated altitude and direction of flight.

On 15 December 1944, weather conditions were overcast which restricted the number of aircraft that Mr. Anderton could log. However, during his 12:00-15:00 BST observation segment, he logged a UC-64A-type aircraft passing to his east, at the horizon and flying below the overcast in a southeasterly direction.

Mr. Anderton's family has preserved his observation notebooks. They learned about the forthcoming publication of a comprehensive report regarding the events of 15 December 1944 and contacted Dennis M. Spragg of the GMA who is the author of the study. Mr. Spragg carefully reviewed the notebooks, confirmed their authenticity and compared the information to the known facts about the flight path of UC-64A 44-70285.

Mr. Spragg is pleased to confirm that Mr. Anderton's 15 December 1944 observation is consistent with the flight path of UC-64A 44-70285, aboard which as a passenger was Major A. Glenn Miller, Director of the American Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces ("ABAEF"), Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme (Radio) ("AEFP") of Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF).

Major Miller, the famous bandleader, was enroute RAF (Royal Air Force Station) Twinwood Field, Bedfordshire, England to AAF (U. S. Army Air Force Station) Villacoublay, Versailles, France. 

 UC-64A

UC-64A 44-70285 and its pilot were assigned to the 35th Depot Repair Squadron, Second Strategic Air Depot, VIII AAF Service Command, AAF Abbots-Ripton (Alconbury), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England. The air depot was located adjacent to the Alconbury airbase and aircraft transiting the air depot operated from the Alconbury airbase.

UC-64A 44-70285 departed AAF Alconbury at 13:17 BST 15 December 1944 and landed at RAF Twinwood Field at 13:45 BST to take on passengers. UC-64A 44-70285 departed RAF Twinwood Field at 13:53 BST. The pilot was required to operate the aircraft along a standard air transport route via the navigation waypoints AAF Bovingdon (England), Maidenhead (England), Beachy Head (England), overwater to Fecamp (France) and thence AAF Villacoublay. The Royal Observation Corps observation station at Beachy Head logged a UC-64A-type aircraft with United

States insignia passing overhead along the standard route and traveling underneath overcast cloud cover during the 14:32-14:47 BST observation log. The Beachy Head observation is detailed along with the RAF Twinwood Field departure in the U. S. Eighth Air Force enquiry into the circumstances of the UC-64A 44-70285 flight (January 1945). Based upon the forward cruising airspeed of the UC-64A-type aircraft and reported surface wind observations, the UC-64A-type
aircraft was observed passing overhead Beachy Head at approximately 14:37 BST.

Woodley Airfield (Miles Aircraft Establishment) was located within eight miles of the Maidenhead navigation waypoint. Maidenhead was a point at which the pilot would make a turn from a compass heading of 210 degrees to 135 degrees. An observer at Woodley Airfield could see an aircraft traveling along this route. The Anderton notebooks have similar such observations for numerous aircraft over many months, so the 15 December 1944 observation is a straightforward and consistent notation. Mr. Spragg estimates that UC-64A 44-70285 passed the Maidenhead navigation waypoint at approximately 14:10 BST.

Therefore, Mr. Anderton appears to have been the next-to-last known observer of UC-64A 44-70285 and Major A. Glenn Miller, although from a distance. His observation is another detail which confirms that pilot F/O (Flight Officer) John R. S. Morgan was operating his aircraft on schedule and on course from RAF Twinwood Field to the Beachy Head observation station at 14:37 BST Friday, 15 December 1944. The aircraft did not arrive at AAF Villacoublay. The aircraft
should have passed overhead Fecamp between 15:03 and 15:07 BST and should have arrived at AAF Villacoublay between 15:47 and 15:51 BST. F/O Morgan, Major Miller and passenger Lt. Col. Norman Baessell, VIII AAF Service Command, Milton Ernest, England were never seen again and aircraft wreckage was never located."

The GMA and Mr. Spragg wish to thank the Anderton family for their courtesy and confidence in turning over this new evidence to us for verification. We are pleased to announce our positive finding and confirmation.
The forthcoming comprehensive manuscript "Major A. Glenn Miller, 15 December 1944, The Facts" is being completed and the publication date is pending.
(Note: the airfield and waypoint terminologies cited in this statement reflect the United States Army Air Forces characterizations used as of 15 December 1944).

Whatever happened to Glenn Miller's wife?

Glenn and Helen

Q. Whatever happened to Glenn Miller's wife?

A. For the first few years after Glenn's disappearance she was actively involved in the corporations he had set up, primarily Glenn Miller Productions, and in working with his estate to re-launch the orchestra under the direction of lead saxophonist and vocalist Tex Beneke.

She was also faced with raising their two adopted children alone, so as relations with the Beneke-led band deteriorated during the late 1940s she moved away from direct involvement with Glenn's music. In 1953 and 1954 she assisted with aspects of the biopic The Glenn Miller Story, starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson.

There is speculation that her disagreements with Tex Beneke over the band's musical direction were in part responsible for the fact that he was entirely written out of the script.

During the 1950s and early 60s Helen Miller was almost completely uninvolved with her late husband's music, except for giving occasional interviews to close friends such as biographer (and former Miller musician and confidant) George T. Simon. Notably, Simon refused to either deny or confirm the heartbreaking rumor that Helen had kept many of Glenn's personal effects in their bedroom and even prepared his bed every evening, just in case he should miraculously return ...

Helen Burger Miller died in 1966 at age 64. Her passing was mentioned in some newspapers but received little other notice.

New CD from one of the UK's best big bands...The NRO

Nick Ross

Here is exciting news from our friend, British bandleader, Nick Ross about the NRO's latest CD;

"We're delighted to be able to tell you that we had a great time at Angel Studios in London, recording our new CD "Jeepers Creepers"

Click here to order your copy of our new CD 'Jeepers Creepers' or our previous album 'My Favourite Things'!
See the full tracklisting below.

Moonlight Serenade

Crystal Cruises Big Band and Ballroom Dance theme cruises for 2012

Cruise with the best of the Big Bands: With classic dance moves currently taking center stage on "Dancing with the Stars," Crystal Cruises has expanded its live Big Band and Ballroom Dance theme cruises for 2012. 

They promise that guests will feel like stars themselves as they swing, cha-cha, and tango across the Atlantic accompanied by two old-school favorites: the Glenn Miller Orchestra on Crystal Symphony's March 19th Miami-Madeira-Lisbon voyage, and the Artie Shaw Orchestra on Crystal Serenity's Barcelona-Canary Is.-St. Maarten-Miami cruise on December 9, 2012. 
 

Whether a dancer or just toe-tapping listener, guests will be surrounded by live 17-20-piece orchestras with vocalists, plus complimentary daily dance sessions, including:

-Professional group dance lessons for all levels of experience

-Advanced dance workshops for more proficient dancers

-Twice the usual number of professional dance instructors

-Extra Ambassador Hosts to lead women without dance partners

-Dancing both in the afternoon and late into the evening 

Says Entertainment Vice President Bret Bullock: "Big Band cruises are among our most popular and highly rated Experiences of Discovery theme cruises. Travelers love the timeless elegance of Trans-Atlantic cruising, Crystal Cruises' inviting onboard luxury experience, and the added pleasure of song and dance-filled days and nights." 

"Book Now" plus "Two-for-One" promotions amount to more than $5,000 per person in savings on each voyage. If booked by October 31, March's 10-day, "all-inclusive" (Crystal's first-ever) voyage starts at a remarkably-low $1,360/person, including complimentary fine wines and premium spirits throughout the ship, open bar service in all lounges, and pre-paid gratuities for housekeeping, bar and dining staff. December's 12-day sailing is also all-inclusive, with starting fares of $2,620/person, if booked by October 31. 

Crystal Cruise's award-winning entertainment offerings include a range of venues and performances, from cabaret nightclub to piano bar saloon; acclaimed productions to headline entertainers; and sophisticated enrichment activities to in-room Blu-ray-viewing. 

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit www.crystalcruises.com . 

Glenn Miller's Sun Valley Serenade released 70 years ago this week

Do you remember the film Sun Valley Serenade? It  is a 1941 musical film starring Sonja Henie, John Payne, Lynn Bari and Milton Berle and released 70 years ago this week.

Sun Valley Serenade is best known today for the participation of The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Chattanooga Cho Cho was written for this fim.









The music list:

•"Chattanooga Choo Choo"

(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyric by Mack Gordon
Performed by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
Sung by Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly, and The Modernaires, then danced and sung by The Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge, however Southern audiences never saw this part two of "Chattanooga."
Copyright 1941

•"I Know Why (and So Do You)"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyric by Mack Gordon
Performed by John Payne and Sonja Henie
Sung by Lynn Bari (dubbed by Pat Friday) and The Modernaires, then John Payne
Copyright 1941

•"It Happened in Sun Valley"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyric by Mack Gordon
Performed by "first band"
Sung by Lynn Bari (dubbed by Pat Friday), later sung by entire Glenn Miller orchestra including all vocalists except Ray Eberle
Copyright 1941

•"The Kiss Polka"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyric by Mack Gordon
Performed over opening credits by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, then by singing ensemble later in movie
Copyright 1941

•"At Last"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Performed by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra as an instrumental after "In The Mood" sequence,
and at end of movie in ice-skating sequence
Copyright 1942

•"Moonlight Serenade"
(uncredited)
Music by Glenn Miller
Performed as instrumental by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
Copyright 1939

•"In the Mood"
(uncredited)
Music by Joe Garland
Arranged by Eddie Durham
Performed by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
Tenor Sax Battle between Tex Beneke and Al Klink
Hot Trumpet Solo by Billy May
Copyright 1939

•"The Farmer in the Dell"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra at Ellis Island

•"She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain When She Comes"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played as part of the score when Milton Berle skis erratically down the slopes

•"Jingle Bells"
(1857) (uncredited)
Music by James Pierpont
Played as part of the score when Milton Berle skis erratically down the slopes

The Top Ten Glenn Miller tunes?

Major Glenn Miller

Our fellow big band fan George Spink of Los Angeles...and the Moderator of the terrific website " Music in the Miller Mood Yahoo!" asked his audience for their top ten Miller favorites... Here they are:


From Joel R:
1. Along the Santa Fe Trail, 2. St. Louis Blues March, 3. Holiday for Strings, 4. Speak Low, 5. Stardust, 6.My Buddy, 7. Long ago and Far Away, 8. Going Home, 9. Blue Champagne, 10. Stormy Weather

From Gregg S:
1.The Woodpecker Song, 2.Little Brown Jug, 3. Moonlight Serenade, 4. Have You Got Any Gum,Chum?, 5.A String of Pearls, 6. Chattanooga Choo Choo, 7. Don't Sit Under the AppleTree, 8 I've Got A Gal in Kalamazoo, 9.In The Mood, and 10. That Old Black Magic.

From Jack F:
1. Moonlight Serenade, 2. Moonlight Cocktails, 3.Serenade in Blue, 4.String of Pearls, 5. Pennsylvania 6-5000, 6. I Know Why, 7. Skylark, 8.In The Mood, 9.Tuxedo Junction. 10. At Last.

From Marty D:
1) In the Mood, 2) Moonlight Serenade, 3) Elmer's Tune, 4) Juke Box Saturday Night, 5) Pennsylvania 6500, 6) Moonlight Cocktail, 7) Tuxedo Junction, 8) String of Pearls, 9) Chattanooga Choo Choo, 10) Little Brown Jug

From Rick Busciglio:
1.Moonlight Serenade 2. String Of Pearls 3. In The Mood 4. Sunrise Serenade 5. At Last 6. Tuxedo Junction 7. Begin The Beguine 8. St. Louis Blues March 9. Little Brown Jug 10. That Old Black Magic
The favorites ...common on four of the five lists are Moonlight Serenade, String of Pearls and In The Mood.
Thank you to George, Joel, Gregg, Jack and Marty for sharing.
Care to share your list? Send to Swing and Big Band Examiner
Please visit:

George Spink
Los Angeles
Moderator - Music in the Miller Mood Yahoo! Group
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/millermood/

100 Top Popular Songs of the 1940s

Here is BMI's list of the most played songs (radio, sales and jukebox) from the 1940's;

Note that two Christmas songs, that enjoyed annual exposure, were the most played. The top big band recordings were from Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller. The two iconic songs of World War Two, Sentimental Journey and I'll Be Seeing You are in the 11th and 12th positions.

1. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
2. The Christmas Song - Nat "King" Cole
3. God Bless The Child - Billie Holiday
4. Take The "A" Train - Duke Ellington
5. Stardust - Artie Shaw
6. Swinging On A Star - Bing Crosby
7. You Always Hurt The One You Love - Mills Brothers
8. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - Andrews Sisters
9. Chattanooga Choo Choo - Glenn Miller (Tex Beneke & the Modernaires)
10. Paper Doll - Mills Brothers

11. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
12. Sentimental Journey - Les Brown (Doris Day)
13. I'll Be Seeing You - Bing Crosby / Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
14. I'll Never Smile Again - Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
15. Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) - Vaughn Monroe / Peggy Lee
16. Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo
17. That's My Desire - Frankie Laine / Sammy Kaye
18. Don't Fence Me In - Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters / Roy Rogers / Gene Autry
19. Jingle, Jangle, Jingle - Kay Kyser / Gene Autry
20. Tuxedo Junction - Glenn Miller

21. Nature Boy - Nat "King" Cole / Frank Sinatra / Sarah Vaughan
22. Brazil - Xavier Cugat / Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
23. Green Eyes - Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
24. Frenesi - Artie Shaw
25. Till The End Of Time - Perry Como / Les Brown / Dick Haymes
26. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be) - Billie Holiday / Sarah Vaughan
27. Moonlight Cocktail - Glenn Miller
28. Stormy Weather - Lena Horne
29. This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
30. You Are My Sunshine - Jimmie Davis

31. That Lucky Old Sun - Frankie Laine / Vaughn Monroe
32. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons - Nat "King" Cole / Eddy Howard / Dinah Shore
33. (I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo - Glenn Miller (Marion Hutton & the Modernaires)
34. Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree - Glenn Miller / Andrews Sisters
35. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive - Johnny Mercer / Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters
36. Maria Elena - Jimmy Dorsey / Wayne King
37. A String Of Pearls - Glenn Miller
38. The Gypsy - Ink Spots / Dinah Shore / Sammy Kaye (Mary Marlow)
39. Manana (Is Soon Enough For Me) - Peggy Lee
40. Near You - Francis Craig / Andrews Sisters / Larry Green / Alvino Rey

41. Amapola - Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
42. Peg O' My Heart - Harmonicats / Buddy Clark / Three Suns
43. Pennsylvania 6-5000 - Glenn Miller
44. Pistol Packin' Mama - Al Dexter / Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters
45. You'll Never Know - Dick Haymes / Frank Sinatra
46. To Each His Own - Eddy Howard / Ink Spots / Freddy Martin / Modernaires
47. I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire - Ink Spots / Hoarce Heidt / Tommy Tucker
48. Cool Water - Sons Of The Pioneers
49. As Time Goes By - Dooley Wilson
50. Opus No. 1 - Tommy Dorsey
51. Rum And Coca-Cola - Andrews Sisters

52. The Breeze And I - Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly)
53. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow, And Me) - Ink Spots / Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
54. I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James (Helen Forrest)
55. Baby It's Cold Outside - Johnny Mercer & Margaret Whiting / Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark
56. Tangerine - Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
57. Buttons And Bows - Dinah Shore / Dinning Sisters
58. Besame Mucho - Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen)
59. 'Round Midnight - Thelonius Monk
60. I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You) - Harry James (Dick Haymes) / Ink Spots

61. Cruising Down The River - Blue Barron / Russ Morgan / Jack Smith (Clark Sisters)
62. (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover - Kay Kyser / Glenn Miller / Kate Smith
63. Anniversary Song - Al Jolson / Dinah Shore / Guy Lombardo / Tex Beneke
64. A Night In Tunisia - Dizzy Gillespie
65. I Can Dream, Can't I - Andrews Sisters
66. In The Blue Of The Evening - Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
67. Prisoner Of Love - Perry Como / Billy Eckstine / Ink Spots
68. Sleepy Lagoon - Harry James
69. Blues In The Night - Woody Herman / Jimmie Lunceford / Dinah Shore
70. A Tree In The Meadow - Margaret Whiting

71. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Ink Spots / Duke Ellington / Glen Gray
72. Daddy - Sammy Kaye
73. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Vaughn Monroe
74. Oh! What It Seemed To Be - Frankie Carle / Frank Sinatra / Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes
75. Imagination - Glenn Miller / Tommy Dorsey / Ella Fitzgerald
76. There! I've Said It Again - Vaughn Monroe / Jimmy Dorsey (Teddy Walters)
77. Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer - Song Spinners / Willie Kelly
78. Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) - Tex Williams
79. The Old Lamp-Lighter - Sammy Kaye / Kay Kyser
80. When You Wish Upon A Star - Cliff Edwards / Glenn Miller / Guy Lombardo

81. Open The Door, Richard - Count Basie / Three Flames / Dusty Fletcher
82. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby) - Louis Jordan / Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters
83. Shoo-Shoo Baby - Andrews Sisters / Ella Mae Morse
84. Linda - Ray Noble (Buddy Clark) / Charlie Spivak
85. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall - Ella Fitzgerald & the Ink Spots
86. Jukebox Saturday Night - Glenn Miller (Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke & the Modernaires)
87. Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
88. Some Enchanted Evening - Perry Como / Bing Crosby / Jo Stafford / Frank Sinatra
89. Rag Mop - Ames Brothers / Johnnie Lee Wills
90. On The Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe - Johnny Mercer / Bing Crosby

91. Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition! - Kay Kyser / Merry Macs
92. I'll Walk Alone - Dinah Shore / Martha Tilton / Mary Martin
93. Ballerina - Vaughn Monroe / Buddy Clark / Bing Crosby
94. I'm looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover - Art Mooney / Russ Morgan / Alvino Rey
95. Jersey Bounce - Benny Goodman / Jimmy Dorsey
96. Mule Train - Frankie Laine / Tennessee Ernie Ford / Bing Crosby / Vaughn Monroe
97. G.I. Jive - Louis Jordan / Johnny Mercer
98. You Call Everybody Darlin' - Al Trace / Andrews Sisters / Anne Vincent
99. Maybe - Ink Spots
100. Der Fuehrer's Face - Spike Jones (Carl Grayson & Willie Spicer)

Glenn Miller...the real King of Swing?

All serious big band fans know that Benny Goodman was crowned "The King Of Swing" by the press in the 1935-1938 period. The Carnegie Hall concert may have been his finest moment. Benny's contribution to the broad national success of swing music is without question. Was he alone...no....Fletcher Henderson's arrangments that Goodman used are a key part of his success. Many jazz historians passed the crown on to Artie Shaw in the 1940's. But, if "King" means "top of the heap" over the course of the big band era and up to today,(clear leader in record sales) then Alton Glenn Miller may be the true "The King Of Swing."

"A leading swing band was that of Glenn Miller (1904-1944). From 1939 until 1942 the Miller Orchestra was the most popular dance band in the world, breaking record sales and concert attendance records. Miller developed a peppy, clean-sounding style that appealed to small-town midwestern people as well as to the big-city, East and West Coast constituency that had previously sustained swing music. In terms of sheer popular success, the Miller band marked the apex of the swing era, racking up 23 Number-One recordings in a little under four years." [This is excerpted from American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3 by Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman, published by Oxford University Press, copyright (2003, 2007)

Here is "String of Pearls"

Definitive report on the disappearance of Glenn Miller to released

Dennis Spragg of the University of Colorado Glenn Miller Archive today sent us the following message.

"Rick, Here is the statement that the University of Colorado Public Affairs Office will issue shortly.  The Lancaster "bomb jettison" theory is examined and settled with precise detail in our forthcoming and comprehensive report."

Best regards,
Dennis

GLENN MILLER ARCHIVE TO RELEASE DEFINITIVE REPORT ABOUT GLENN MILLER

The University of Colorado Glenn Miller Archive will release a definitive report regarding the disappearance of Major Alton Glenn Miller on December 15, 1944, aboard a United States Army Air Force UC-64A aircraft, while en-route from RAF Twinwood Farm airfield to AAF Station A-42, Villacoublay, France. This announcement is of historic significance and interest, and will therefore be released in an appropriately formal manner.

The Glenn Miller Archive has examined thousands of documents, data, maps, photographs, reports and other materials in the preparation of the report, with the complete cooperation of all relevant government agencies in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The Glenn Miller Archive has invested hundreds of hours of work, at considerable expense, to establish the facts beyond any reasonable doubt.
At the joint announcements, the Glenn Miller Archive will present a comprehensive study, which should precisely and conclusively resolve any outstanding questions about the events of December 15, 1944, including the unambiguous findings of the original United States 8th Army Air Force January 1945 Court of Inquiry.

The announcement will be made during the summer of 2011, on a date to be announced shortly, after it is presented to the Miller family, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force and HRH Elizabeth II.

There will be simultaneous media presentations in both the United States and the United Kingdom, which recognizes the international significance of the report. The Glenn Miller Archive will be joined by representatives of the Miller family, including his son Steven Miller and nephew John Miller; the Imperial War Museum, Royal Air Force, United States Air Force, United States Army and other officials.

Joint announcements will be conducted at the "Wings over the Rockies" History Center at Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Colorado and at the Twinwood Farm Glenn Miller Museum and historic site, Bedfordshire, England. The "Wings over the Rockies" site is the hangar where the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" scene from the film "The Glenn Miller Story" was filmed by Universal International in 1953.

Visit The University of Colorado's Glenn Miller Archive website.
To buy GM music and books visit THE MEMORY LANE SHOP

The Glenn Miller Orchestra played for the last time-September 27, 1942

Glenn Miller's "In The Mood"

On September 27, 1942, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra performed together for the very last time at the Central Theater in Passaic*, New Jersey, prior to Glenn's entry into the Army Air Corps.

He traveled throughout Europe and the US raising troop morale with the Glenn Miller Army Air Force band. On December 15, 1944, Miller boarded a transport plane for Paris to prepare for an upcoming concert; the plane disappeared over the English Channel, presumed crashed. The wreckage of the plane was never found.

During the 1940s, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra were America's house band. The group’s signature swinging sound, provided by a reed section of clarinet, tenor sax and saxophones, kept American spirits up and American feet dancing during the darkest days of World War II.

The 1940s were the Big Band era, and Glenn Miller’s Orchestra was the biggest of them all, enjoying a string of hits including: "In the Mood," "Pennsylvania 6500" and "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" In 1942, * Glenn Miller lived in nearby Tenafly, New Jersey.


Previous Glenn Miller articles of special interest; The-final-flight, The-Glenn-Miller-conspiracy



Here is one of Glenn Miller's biggest hits "A String Of Pearls."

Continue reading on Examiner.com: The Glenn Miller Orchestra played for the last time-September 27, 1942 - National Swing and Big Band
Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/swing-and-big-band-in-national/the-glenn-miller-orchestra-played-for-the-last-time-september-27-1942#ixzz1Cd3MXiPR

Glenn Miller recorded at The Abbey Road studio, not just The Beatles - National Swing and Big Band | Examiner.com

Glenn Miller recorded at The Abbey Road studio, not just The Beatles - National Swing and Big Band | Examiner.com

Glenn Miller's disappearance still generates controversy

Recent chatroom discussions about how and when Glenn Miller's plane crashed still generates a good deal of controversy. Several men and woman who served at the airbase and in France evidently have presented conflicting versions of what happened on December 15 and 16, 1944. Dennis Sprague, who oversees the Glenn Miller Archives at the University of Colorado, provides the following detailed report from the Imperial War Museum,*


Dear Rick,

To follow up our message to you about the follow-up report released by the Glenn Miller Archive last week, here is information about an interesting reply that we received this morning from the Imperial War Museum. I posed a message about the reply on the Yahoo "Glenn Miller Fans" website, and it follows.

You are welcome to use this information as you please.

Best regards,

Dennis

Dennis M. Spragg

Glenn Miller Archive
University of Colorado, Boulder

"Imperial War Museum Responds"

Yahoo Glenn Miller Fans Discussion Group, 13:47 hrs. EDT 21 Jun 10

The other day, we requested that if anyone had any facts to add to the discussion of the recently-released GMA Communiqué #2, we would be happy to publish their comments.

Although your GMA UK and USA team are puzzled that none of our members have yet publicly commented on the interesting hints about "The Wehrmacht Hour" broadcasts that appear on page 13 of Communiqué #2 (or much else), we did receive a reply today that we wish to share with GM Fans members.

The Imperial War Museum in Duxford and their Curator have weighed in with specific details about 15 Dec 44 in "unqualified support" of GMA Communiqué # 2. The IWM has comments about radio communications, which GM Fans members may find of interest. The IWM is very interested in "setting the record straight" in the face of what they consider to be "serious disinformation" contained in a rebuttal.

Among other things, the IWM are interested in clarifying for members that 1960s "telex" radio technology did not exist in the 1940s. They want to correct the Harry Witt story that Alconbury could telex Villacoublay and the Muriel Dixon (Dixie Clerke) story that Twinwood Farm could hear Bovingdon radio communications. The IWM have the operating manuals and several working physical examples of the 1940-vintage DF-Loop airfield radios that were used by Twinwood Farm, Alconbury and Villacoublay. This equipment had a twelve (12) mile incoming and receiving radius. They had valves and broke down a lot during transmissions. The IWM confirm that Fecamp, Orly, Villacoublay and all airfields operating in France in 1944 used the same DF-Loop airfield radio equipment that was installed at Alconbury, Twinwood Farm and all other UK RAF and USAAF airfields. These details about radio communications equipment and capabilities published by the GMA, USAF and RAF in Communiqué #2 are now verified by the IWM.

The UK and French airfields as well as traffic control facilities had radar with sufficient range to monitor operations and traffic at a 150 mile radius. But not radios. All airfields used the DF-Loop radio system which was also used on the aircraft which flew in and out of the airfields.

The IWM have carefully checked the Wycombe Abbey log of coded and still classified Morse Code transmissions of 15 Dec 44 and 16 Dec 44 from the top-secret Mole's Hole communications centre, which was located at Wycombe Abbey. None were sent on 15 Dec 44. Forty five (45) were sent on 16 Dec 44 from 09:00 hrs. and 24:00 hrs. All of the 16 Dec 44 messages pertain to combat operations and the Battle of the Bulge. Members may recall that Gen. James A. Doolittle gave then-Capt. Glenn Miller a personal tour of Mole's Hole during a Miller visit to Wycombe Abbey.

The only way that Alconbury could have told Fecamp or Villacoublay of the UC-64A #44-70285 departure piloted by Morgan (13:21 hrs.) to pick up Miller and Baessell at Twinwood Farm, or have sent any mistaken transmission about an earlier departure request which was rejected by Alconbury (about 08:00 hrs.), would have to have been by coded Morse Code (see above). That would have had to have been telephoned by Alconbury to Mole's Hole at Wycombe Abbey. The Mole's Hole communications facility would have to authorize and then draft a coded message. Mole's Hole would then send along the coded Morse Code message. Telex did not exist in 1944. Further, routine transport flights did not warrant the attention of Mole's Hole who were normally busy with combat messaging.

So the reality is that no transmission was sent from Alconbury at or about 08:00 hrs. about a Morgan departure. No transmission would have been sent unless Morgan departed with clearance and no record of a transmission exists in the 15 Dec 44 Mole's Hole logs. Morgan's later and actual departure from Alconbury at 13:21 hrs. was not transmitted to Villacoublay because Morgan was only cleared for local flying to Twinwood Farm.

The bottom line is that the memory of Capt. Harry Witt, 35th Repair Sqdrn., is incorrect and impossible regarding any search that he claims he flew from Villacoublay on 15 Dec 44 in response to a message from Alconbury to Villacoublay. No such message was transmitted. It is possible that Witt may have remembered word that came several days later that Morgan was indeed missing and at that time Witt flew a search back along the normal route of flight to Fecamp. Memories forty to fifty years after the fact can be cloudy and inaccurate, if well-intended and honest to the best of the veteran's recollection.

The information from the IWM further substantiates the USAF and RAF evidence as to why the memory of Muriel Dixon (Dixie Clerke) was wholly exaggerated and impossible.

Here is some additional information for GM Fans members to consider.

Wing Commander Tuppin was the man in command of RAF Twinwood Farm in Dec 44. He met and knew Major Glenn Miller. WC Tuppin passed away in Dec 09. He lived in Southampton. WC Tuppin confirmed the military personnel records that GMA and RAF reported, which is that Anne Carroll was a control tower WAAF and that she was indeed on duty 15 Dec 44. WC Tuppin also confirmed that Muriel Dixon (Dixie Clerke) was an administrative clerk with no access to radio communications. Another deceased Twinwood Farm witness was Sgt. J. Mockridge, who took the photographs of the 27 Aug 44 Glenn Miller concert at Twinwood Farm. Sgt. Mockridge also confirmed that Dixon (Clerke) was an administrative clerk.

Your GMA UK and USA team has all of these interviews, along with the complete Sid Robinson, Wilbur Wright and many other interviews.

The RAF, British Crown and top museum staff support GMA Communiqué #2 and are whole-heartedly assisting us with our follow-up investigation.
We will get to the bottom of the Hunton Downs and Barry Turner mystery.

Meanwhile, we highly recommend two fascinating books about the Troop Carrier Command for interested GM Fans members. "Into the Valley" was written by Col. Charles H. Young, who was the commanding officer of the 439th Troop Carrier Group. This is a detailed and definitive account of the combat unit to which Lt. (later Capt.) Joseph R. Dobson was assigned in 1944 and 1945. "Gooney Birds and Ferry Tails" by Jon A. Maguire tells the story of the 27th Transport Group. The latter book offers a detailed account of IX AAF non-combat passenger and cargo operations."


*The Imperial War Museum is located in the former Bethlehem Insane Asylum...for short, it was the infamous "Bedlam."

Visit the Memory Lane Shop for everything "Glenn Miller"

Was Glenn Miller the true King of Swing?

Was Glenn Miller the true King of Swing?