Glenn Miller

Glenn Miller never played a note of rock and roll, but "In the Mood" is one of those records that keeps sneaking into the rock world's countdowns anyway, and it's easy to hear why: that riff, passed back and forth between the saxophones and brass, is as insistent as any guitar hook ever cut. Born in Clarinda in 1904, Miller was a trombonist, arranger, composer and bandleader, and from 1939 to 1942 his orchestra was the best-selling recording band around.

His band lived on the road and on the air, touring hard and playing radio broadcasts nearly every day, with no strings and a stand-up bass keeping the swing light on its feet. "Moonlight Serenade" was the theme, and "Chattanooga Choo Choo", from his first film, Sun Valley Serenade, became the first gold record ever made. "Pennsylvania 6-5000", "Tuxedo Junction", "A String of Pearls" and "Little Brown Jug" kept the dance floors full.

In 1942 he volunteered for the military, built a big band with a full string section for the Army Air Forces, and entertained troops through the war. On December 15, 1944, his flight across the English Channel from England to France never arrived, and he was never found. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 1945, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.