It did not have a string section, but did have a slap bass in the rhythm section. (pp. Steven passed away in 2012. Because of the V-1 flying bomb assault that was underway, SHAEF determined it better to house the band where the BBC had moved operations during the Blitz of 1940-41. [4] Miller arranged for new quarters and transportation to move to Bedford on Sunday, July 2, 1944. (pp. [12][13][14] His musical legacy includes multiple recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame. [4], Miller "was a stickler for details and accuracy and always the truth. [93] He never saw Miller as leading a swinging jazz band, but DeFranco is extremely fond of certain aspects of the Glenn Miller style. Around this time, he had made enough money from milking cows to buy his first trombone and played in the town orchestra. She underwent surgery and couldnt get pregnant, so they adopted two children: Steven and Jonnie. According to Simon, "Willie's tone and way of playing provided a fullness and richness so distinctive that none of the later Miller imitators could ever accurately reproduce the Miller sound. He wanted to join the war effort forsaking a lucrative income of $15,000 to $20,000 per week making music. Miller was born on a farm in Clarinda, Iowa, to Lewis Elmer Miller and Mattie Lou (ne Cavender). [4], The conclusive document concerning the military career and disappearance of Miller appeared during 2017 in the book Glenn Miller Declassified by Dennis M. Spragg, director of the Glenn Miller Archives. Glenn was pretty dejected and came to see me. In 1928, when his music career was picking up in New York and income was stable, he married his college sweetheart, Helen Burger. "CU Boulder remembers remarkable, longtime campus fixture Alan Cass", CU Boulder Today, University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO. Retrieved 10-31-2022. [2] The Glenn Miller Foundation was created to oversee its restoration. [3][99][102], Their last performance was the I Sustain the Wings broadcast at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., on NBC radio on November 17, 1945. [4], In New York City, he studied the Schillinger system with Joseph Schillinger, under whose tutelage he composed "Miller's Tune". by Mike Joyce Jazz Articles", "Stride and Swing: The Enduring Appeal of Fats Waller and Glenn Miller", "Biography The Official Gary Giddins Website", "George Shearing at 76:Still Holding His Own", "George Shearing, 'Lullaby of Birdland' Jazz Virtuoso, Dies at 91", "Frank Sinatra The Columbia Years 19471949", "Deferments, "The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940" required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. Reporting to Gen. Walter R. Weaver, Miller became director of bands for the AAFTTC. The "Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra was in service from March 20, 1943 to January 15, 1946"[4][16] is engraved on the black granite marker in front of their memorial American Holly. On June 25, 1999, the Nebraska State Highway Commission unanimously agreed to name Nebraska Highway 97 between North Platte, where Miller attended elementary school, and Tryon, where the Miller family briefly lived, as Glenn Miller Memorial Highway. Research genealogy for Glenn Miller of Norwich, Connecticut, USA, as well as other members of the Miller family, on Ancestry. The Glenn Miller orchestra recorded "Moonlight Serenade" in 1939 as the B side of a 78 rpm on the RCA Bluebird label. "We didn't come here to set any fashions in music. Lois was the daughter of Glenn Alexander Miller and Bertha Belle Brown Miller. [27] As Dennis Spragg of the Glenn Miller Archives[3] confirms, "Miller's use of his first name, Alton was necessary for legal and military purposes, which is logically why it shows up in formal documents such as his military documents, drivers licenses, tax returns, etc. [4] In keeping with standard operating procedure for the US military services, Miller was officially declared dead a year and a day later. As a precaution, the Miller organization had to prerecord eighty hours of broadcasts prior to moving, in addition to their normal schedule. 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. The transport plane with Miller, Lt. Col. Norman Baessell, and pilot John Morgan never arrived in France. After failing multiples classes in one semester, he dropped out of school and focused on music. Born in Butler, Sept. 20, 1939, to Wendell and Mary Ann Miller, he was the youngest of three children. 205.196.223.27 There, he played high school football and honed his skills on the trombone. On December 11, 1944, Niven ordered Miller to replace his executive officer, Lt. Donald Haynes, to fly ahead and complete arrangements before the entire group came across. in Clarinda, Iowa, USA , United States, Died on December 15, 1944 None were Miller band members. 4248)[99][3], Broadcasting and recording from New York, the Miller unit broadcast I Sustain the Wings. This weekly series was first carried by CBS starting on June 5, 1943 and then by NBC from September 18, 1943 through June 10, 1944. The legacy also continues through The United States Air Forces in Europe Band,[4][125] stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. [citation needed], Miller made his final commercial broadcast for Chesterfield Cigarettes on September 24, 1942. The move was set for mid-December. [99], Millers travel orders did not authorize him to board a casual flight and he did not report his intentions to his chain of command, so SHAEF was in the dark concerning Millers whereabouts. [4] This includes: The Ambassadors in US Army Air Forces Europe, The US Army Band's Army Blues, the US Army Field Band's Jazz Ambassadors, and the US Navy Commodores. Miller and radio producer Sgt. "[83] Schuller notes, "[The Miller sound] was nevertheless very special and able to penetrate our collective awareness that few other sounds have"[85] He compares it to "Japanese Gagaku [and] Hindu music" in its purity. For other uses, see, Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra: 19421945, Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra legacy. It had a makeup similar to the Army Air Forces Band: It included a large string section, and at least initially, about two-thirds of the musicians were alumni of either the civilian or AAF orchestras. 190210)[3][99], The AAF band completed their pre-recordings and regular broadcasts on Tuesday, December 12, 1944, and prepared for the anticipated move to France. Glenn Miller was born Alton Glenn Miller on March 1, 1904, in Clarinda, Iowa. [4][61][62] The Miller orchestra performed "Chattanooga Choo Choo" with his singers Gordon "Tex" Beneke, Paula Kelly and the Modernaires. Immediate Family: Daughter of Fredrick Wilhelm Burger and Anna R. Burger. When she died in 1966, she left the Miller estate under the care of an executor, as her children lacked her business sense. Meanwhile, preparations in France were behind schedule. "[50] With this new sound combination, Miller found a way to differentiate his band's style from that of many bands that existed in the late 1930s. He had to leave his family behind during his military service. The eponymous Glenn Miller was credited to making the band iconic decades ago. Interviewed on Glenn Miller's Birthday on WPFW-Radio by Askia Muhammad, Washington, D.C. March 1, 1995. She married her college sweetheart, Virgil Hoffman and raised four children and two stepchildren. At 38, married and needing corrective eyeglasses, Miller was classified 3-A for the draft and unlikely to be called to service. How do you make it?" [97][98][15], He first applied for a commission in the US Navy but was turned down. In the early to mid-1930s, Miller worked as a trombonist, arranger, and composer for the Dorsey Brothers, first, when they were a Brunswick studio group and later, when they formed an ill-fated orchestra. He also took part in counter-propaganda and famously said on a radio show, America means freedom and theres no expression of freedom quite so sincere as music.. "[49], Discouraged, Miller returned to New York. With this new sound combination, his band gained a distinct sound. Death: June 02, 1966 (64) Huntington Hospital, Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, United States. It's tough to know if Jonnie Miller is still alive because she isn't very active on social media. [143], Miller was awarded a Star for Recording on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. 3436)[100], Effective January 1, 1943, Miller was assigned to the headquarters of the AAF Technical Training Command (TTC) at Knollwood Field, Southern Pines, North Carolina. She passed away in 1966, but left behind a great legacy. This had nothing to do with Miller but prevented the Navy from acting on his application. He soon traded the mandolin for an old horn. [28], He attended grade school in North Platte in western Nebraska. [4][144] The headquarters of the United States Air Forces in Europe Band at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is named Glenn Miller Hall.[4]. Steven and Jonnie Miller, Helen Miller and Glenn Miller's children, were adopted. [100][104][105], Miller and his music became an institution as Miller wished. It was also a touring band that played multiple radio broadcasts nearly every day. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for glenn miller and his orchestra Second Pressing 5 lp hard cover binder at the best online prices at eBay! Given modern technology, a well-funded and patient exploration could possibly find and identify the debris of the airplane along the required air transport corridor between Langney Point (Beachy Head) and St. Valery, France. [4], In 1923, Miller entered the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he joined Sigma Nu fraternity. In the Mood belts out and doesn't stop for anything. Hidden Gem. His parents, Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller, soon moved their family from Iowa first to Nebraska, then to Missouri, and eventually, to Fort Morgan, Colorado. Born in Clarinda, Iowa, on March 1, 1904, Alton Glenn Miller was the second of four children. [4] Their workload was just as heavy as the civilian band's had been. "[85], Louis Armstrong thought enough of Miller to carry around his recordings, transferred to seven-inch tape reels when he went on tour. It also includes visits to the restored Miller home, the Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum, historical displays from the Glenn Miller Archives at the University of Colorado, lectures and presentations about Miller's life, and a scholarship competition for young classical and jazz musicians. Alton Glenn Miller was born on March 1, 1904, in Clarinda, Iowa; the son of Lewis Elmer and Mattie Lou Cavender Miller. Ray McKinley dance orchestra), Uptown Hall (Sgt. In Bedford, the Miller unit would use facilities developed for Sir Adrian Boult and the BBC Symphony. Miller had a staff of arrangers who wrote originals such as "String of Pearls" (written and arranged by Jerry Gray)[145] or took originals such as "In The Mood" (writing credit given to Joe Garland[146] and arranged by Eddie Durham[147]) and "Tuxedo Junction" (written by bandleader Erskine Hawkins[148] and arranged by Jerry Gray[149]) and arranged them for the Miller band to either record or broadcast. 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 1915, Miller's family moved to Grant City, Missouri. Jonnie went on to purchase and restore the Iowa house where Glenn Miller was born. She consulted on a semi-fictional biopic, The Glenn Miller Story where James Stewart played the King of Swing. [74] They also felt that Miller's brand of swing shifted popular music from the hot jazz of Benny Goodman and Count Basie to commercial novelty instrumentals and vocal numbers. Please try again. As per Nivens order, Miller was booked on a scheduled Air Transport Command passenger flight from London-Bovingdon to Paris-Orly on Thursday, December 14. Find out about this legendary musician in Glenn Millers wiki. [87][88] Frank Sinatra and Mel Torm held the orchestra in high regard. Miller arranged that tune for big band and renamed it. Research genealogy for Glenn Howard Miller of Mayville North, Traill, North Dakota, USA, as well as other members of the Miller family, on Ancestry. Mel Powell jazz quartet), Strings With Wings (Sgt. Helen Burger Cause Of Death: What happened to Glenn Miller's wife Helen? 25-26). Dennis Spragg, who represents the family and estate of Glenn. He was not the victim of foul play or friendly fire. And that's about all there is to it. Miller and his band were stationed in England where a famous incident occurred. Family tree of Glenn MILLER Singer & Musician Born Alton Glenn MILLER American jazz musician (trombone), arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era Born on March 01, 1904 in Clarinda, Iowa, USA , United States Died on December 15, 1944 in English Channel Born on March 01 68 Deceased on December 15 44 Family tree Report an error Miller He played cornet and mandolin, but he switched to trombone by 1916. She was a grandmother of 10. [4] The names of Flight Officer John R. S. Morgan and Lieutenant Colonel Norman Baessell are also carved there. On September 26, Miller made his final civilian broadcast on the Blue Network Coca Cola Victory parade of Spotlight Bands. In June 2009, it was announced that the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society in Clarinda, Iowa, was building a 5,600-foot museum to house "memorabilia from [Glenn Miller's] musical career". [108] This ghost band played to very large audiences all across the United States, including a few dates at the Hollywood Palladium in 1947, where the original Miller band played in 1941. That band included Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa. "[85] But Schuller notes, "How much further [Miller's] musical and financial ambitions might have carried him must forever remain conjectural. Boy, the way Glenn Miller played Songs that made the Hit Parade Guys like us, we had it made Those were the days And you knew who you were then Girls were girls, and men were men Mister, we could . Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was the best-selling recording band from 1939 to 1942. An error has occured while loading the map. Born in Clarinda, Iowa, on March 1, 1904, bandleader and musician Glenn Miller started out playing the mandolin as a child, but quickly switched to the horn. [20][4][22][23][24][25] In February 1945, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal. [111] This band recorded for RCA Victor, just as the original Miller band did. Since they were scheduled for a Christmas Day broadcast from Paris to England and via shortwave to the United States, news of Millers whereabouts would have to be released. Oct 2013 Friends. A 38-year-old Miller was too old to be drafted, but he was able to persuade the U.S. Army to put him in charge of an army band. Band- [AKA Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra] / Yale University- New Haven, CT. / I SUSTAIN THE WINGS / Sustineo Alas. Norman Leyden) and Piano Parade (piano solos by Pvt. [4] " The Airmen of Note is the premier jazz ensemble of the United States Air Force. 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. [4] Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was one of the most popular and successful bands of the 20th century and the big band era. He started his music studies when his father gave him a mandolin. Millers unit was succeeded on the series by the AAFTC orchestra directed by M/Sgt. Click to reveal Brief Life History of Glenn Thomas . [109] A website concerning the history of the Hollywood Palladium noted "[even] as the big band era faded, the Tex Beneke and Glenn Miller Orchestra concert at the Palladium resulted in a record-breaking crowd of 6,750 dancers. (Karen) Alderman; three grandchildren, Mark. [4][3][99] Miller told Lieutenant Don Haynes, "As long as [the Miller Luck] stays with us, we have nothing to worry about. Here is the inscription along with corrections that could be made if it is ever replaced or moved to a non-grave location. All conspiracy theories surrounding his death were therefore debunked before December 15, 2019, the 75th anniversary of his death. Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 - missing in action December 15, 1944) was an American big band musician, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. Shenkle, Kathy. [ Alton] Glenn Miller / 0505273 / US Army Air Force [Forces] - W. W. II / Born- Clarinda, Iowa - / March 1, 1904 / Missing in Action [ / Died] / Europe, Dec. 15, 1944 / 1943-1944 / 418th A.A.F.T.T.C. [15], Miller is considered to be the father of the modern US military bands. Glenn Thomas Miller. She married her college sweetheart, Virgil Hoffman and raised four children and two stepchildren. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a17d467a83e20a8 Miller was born in Iowa and spent the latter part of his boyhood in Fort Morgan on Colorado's Eastern Plains. (pp. Trigger Alpert, a bassist from the civilian band, Zeke Zarchy for the Army Air Forces Orchestra and Willie Schwartz, the lead clarinetist from the civilian band back up Frank Sinatra on many recordings. She had worked at Sieg Ottumwa as a secretary and bookkeeper. He initially stuck to Millers sound but found it difficult to keep it alive while making a name for himself. Longer versions of this exhibit appeared on CBS Sunday Morning TV, WPFW radio, Clarinda Herald-Journal, Pentagram (DOD), and the Des Moines Register", "Revealed: What really happened when Glenn Miller disappeared in 1944", Solid!, Bob Chester biography/filmography, Solid!, Ray Anthony biography/filmography, "Devon Theatre Review Glenn Miller Orchestra at Plymouth Pavilions", Glenn Miller Orchestra:: Portrait Wil Salden, "Yale Bands 1940s Holiday Re-Enactment: Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band 1944 Radio Show and 1940s All-Women Big Band", "Yale Bands celebrates three anniversaries at its final concert of 2019", "Art of the Stamp - Big Band Leaders: Glenn Miller, First day of issue: September 11, 1996", "CU-Boulder's Glenn Miller Archive Receives Major Gift Including Seldom-Heard Music", https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Portals/0/Docs/Memorial%20Trees%20Updated%209-5-2014.pdf?ver=2020-08-27-190631-920, "Bill Finegan Arranger for Dorsey, Miller Bands Dies", "Vic Schoen, Musician and Composer, Dies at 83", "PBS Jazz A Film By Ken Burns: Selected Artist Biography Glenn Miller", "Glenn Miller: America's Musical Patriot", https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgZtaWxsZXISBWFsdG9uGgVnbGVubg--/, https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Find-a-Grave, Discography of American Historical Recordings, Recordings Miller made for Brunswick records, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Glenn_Miller&oldid=1141953589, Newton, Wesley Phillips. The Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra American Holly is Memorial tree number 78 in the file at this link / document, Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 19:08, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, Glenn Miller's Method for Orchestral Arranging, "All Iowa, US, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1999 results for Alton Glen Miller", https://www.colorado.edu/amrc/glenn-miller-collections, https://afro.com/in-memoriam-renowned-black-journalist-broadcaster-askia-muhammad-dies/, "What Is Glenn Miller's Most Popular Song? She revived his his big-band phenomena with the help of the saxophonist, Tex Beneke. [99], In 2019, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) was reported to be investigating a report that Millers airplane was possibly discovered many miles west of its required flight path but nothing further has been reported or found. [16], On behalf of the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra veterans, a memorial American Holly tree was dedicated in Section 13 along Wilson Drive near Miller's memorial headstone on the 50th anniversary of his death, December 15, 1994. At the end of the program, he introduced competitor Harry James as his successor on the series, a gesture that a grateful Harry James never forgot. It was also a touring band that played multiple radio broadcasts nearly every day. Two years later, the family moved to Colorado where he joined the high school football team. During a March 1942 visit to Washington, Miller had met with officials of the Army Bureau of Public Relations and Army Air Forces.(p. His family moved several times in. On behalf of Miller's family and the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society, an Air Force wreath ceremony was conducted there on the 50th anniversary of their deaths, December 15, 1994. [53] In the spring of 1939, the band's fortunes improved with a date at the Meadowbrook Ballroom in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, and more dramatically at the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York. That bomb's falling from the sky and the Glenn Miller Band has zero f*cks to give. [4], The Miller estate authorized an official Glenn Miller legacy or ghost band in 1946, the Glenn Miller Orchestra. We encourage you to research and examine these . Jonnie got married and established her own family. We are all related!DowlingGeneastars | Facebook. [4], "Major Alton Glenn Miller (Army Serial No. [107] Future television and film composer Henry Mancini was the band's pianist and one of the arrangers. Jack Rusin and Sgt. Millers unit was authorized on March 20, 1943 and billeted at the AAF Training School at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Alton Glen Miller[1] (March 1, 1904 December 15, 1944)[1][2][3][4][5] 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. It is now part of the Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum. As the GMA and especially the GMBS have had to navigate, the "greatest generation" who saw, heard and danced to Glenn Miller's music were passing the baton to their children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. On December 15, 1944, he was to fly to Paris ahead of his band to oversee all the arrangements. He was a member of Red Nichols' orchestra (Red Nichols and his Five Pennies)[4] in 1930, and because of Nichols, he played in the pit bands of two Broadway shows, Strike Up the Band and Girl Crazy. "Launching a legend: Maxwell Field and Glenn Miller's Army Air Forces Band. Retrieved 10-31-2022. While studying under celebrated musician Joseph Schillinger, he composed his greatest song to date, Moonlight Serenade. While touring with several groups, he was mentored by professional musicians like Ben Pollack and Victor Young. There, he appeared on the nationwide NBC Army Hour broadcast, originated from WSFA, Montgomery. "[4][15][25][24], On July 9, 1944, Millers 51-piece orchestra and production personnel started broadcasting a series of musical programs over the AEFP under BBC technical supervision. [4] A moment of silence took place both at Arlington and Cambridge. At the time, the Navy was dealing with a scandal concerning celebrity commissions in exchange for draft avoidance. - Glenn Miller. Felix Slatkin. Millers recommendation for an AAFTTC bands program was approved. "[73] Although Miller was popular, many jazz critics had misgivings. Exhibit: Glenn Miller: America's Musical Hero, US Army Center of Military History Archives, Fort McNair, DC,1993. Blam-Blam! [16][141], A Miller fan, Peter Cofrancesco bought a gravesite at Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut, and placed a black granite cenotaph there. [112] The break was acrimonious,[113] although Beneke is now listed by the Miller estate as a former leader of the Glenn Miller Orchestra,[114] and his role is now acknowledged on the orchestra's website. Glenn Millers death is a mystery that was never resolved. Harry Bluestone, when the Miller band deployed overseas. [4] The Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra Memorial American Holly can be seen from there. [3], On November 13, 1945, the AAF Band appeared at the National Press Club for its final concert, which was attended by President Harry Truman and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Ironically, he failed Harmony. In the fall of 1919, he joined the F.M.H.S. [4] That includes a Coast Guard musical unit called the Guardians. Miller would successfully attempt to fuse jazz, popular music and light classics, including strings, which was an evolutionary step beyond his civilian band. "[56] In 1940, the band's version of "Tuxedo Junction" sold 115,000 copies in the first week. Major Glenn Miller: The Loss of an Icon. 0505273), Air Corps, United States Army, for meritorious service in connection with military operations as Commander of the Army Air Force Band (Special), from 9 July 1944 to 15 December 1944. When Miller was officially declared dead in December 1945, Helen received a formal letter of condolence and appreciation from Gen. H. H. Steven was the music administrator of the Miller estate and also served in the marines. Helen Burger and Glenn Miller had two children, Steve Miller and Jonnie Miller, whom they had adopted. You just stay with it. 4950)[99][3], In addition to the full concert orchestra, Miller's AAF Training Command organization included a marching band for base activities and a jazz band led by T/Sgt. Prior to the bands arrival, Miller met with SHAEF and BBC officials to coordinate broadcasting plans, including the BBC Director of the new Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme (AEFP), Maurice Gorham, SHAEF Director of Broadcasting, American Col. Edward Kirby, and Deputy Director of SHAEF Broadcasting, British Lt. Col. David Niven. ", This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 19:08. [35], In 1928, when the band arrived in New York City, he sent for and married his college sweetheart, Helen Burger. [26] Like his father (Lewis Elmer) and his siblings (Elmer Deane, John Herbert and Emma Irene), Miller went by his middle name, Glenn. [4][103] One of Miller's trombones was displayed on stage. "[51], In September 1938, the Miller band began recording for Bluebird, a subsidiary of RCA Victor. Wrong username or password. [17][4], Miller went missing in action (MIA) on December 15, 1944, on a flight over the English Channel. Members of the Noble band included Claude Thornhill, Bud Freeman, and Charlie Spivak. Paul Dudley flew to London on June 19 and the band followed aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth, which was serving as a troopship. [76], Miller was often criticized for being too commercial. 24)[99][3] On August 12, 1942, Miller sent a three-page letter to General Charles Young of the Army Service Forces, outlining his interest in streamlining modern military music and to express his sincere desire to do a real job for the Army that is not actuated by any personal draft problem. [63] Other singers with this orchestra included Marion Hutton,[64] Skip Nelson,[65] Ray Eberle[66] and (to a smaller extent) Kay Starr,[67] Ernie Caceres,[68] Dorothy Claire[69] and Jack Lathrop. [116] By the early 1950s, various bands were again copying the Miller style of clarinet-led reeds and muted trumpets, notably Ralph Flanagan,[117] Jerry Gray,[118] and Ray Anthony. Major 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. Shenkle, Kathy. [3], Military service personnel of all ranks enjoyed the band. The band appeared in movies like Sun Valley Serenade and Orchestra Wives. The AAF endorsed Millers modern approach. In each of these new cities, Miller's musical development took a new step. From then, he realized he had a better future in writing and arranging music. His life story got the big screen treatment in 1954, and Turner Classic Movies pulled it out of the archives on Wednesday (November 22). [103] The Airmen of Note and the Army Blues had performances elsewhere during the day. With a full string section added to a big band, the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra[16] was the forerunner of many US military big bands. [10] In four years, Miller scored 16 number one records and 69 top 10 hits, more than Elvis Presley (40)[11] and the Beatles in their careers. Miller hired Schwartz but had him play lead clarinet instead of the saxophone. [4][3][25], Helen Miller accepted her husband's Bronze Star Medal at a ceremony at Miller's New York business office on March 23, 1945[99] (Glenn Miller Declassified, p.304).