THE AVENUE TO FAME

Alton Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda, Iowa on 1st March 1904. At 13 years of age he purchased his first trombone with money he had earned milking cows. The trombone remained his favourite instrument. His first important booking was by Ben Pollack in 1926, where he played together with future stars like Benny Goodman (then 17 years old). In late 1928 Glenn moved to New York and married the love of his youth, Helen Burger. In the mid-30s he founded his first band. In 1939 he had his break-through: the audiences loved Glenn Miller and his Band; they broke all visitor records.