King of Swing



On this date in nineteen eighty-six

After a career with many, many hits

Benny Goodman ascended to the sky

With his licorice stick quite nearby ...



The man was the chief proponent 

Of the clarinet ... his only opponent

Was one of the two Dorsey brothers

One was trombone, so it was the other



Tommy was the brass man, I believe

So it must've been Jimmy with the reed

Anyway, the three of them, along with Miller ...

Pretty much defined the swing bands of the era



But Benny recorded quite a bit more

For he was just as capable of classical lore

Such as the ones written for the clarinet by Mozart

A man who really knew how to practice his art ....



And he was so popular, a movie was made to honor

The man who gave us so much music from above the collar

Played by yet another musical giant ...

Steve Allen ... a pianist and composer 

                                       still tryin' !!!!



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

11:30am Sun. June 13th, 1999



The Benny Goodman Story (1956)

also starred Donna Reed

and featured Harry James,

Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa



The Glenn Miller Story (1954)

starred James Stewart

and featured Louis Armstrong,

Gene Krupa, The Modernaires



NB

Glenn Miller was downed in a 

commercial plane flight over the 

Atlantic during World War II (1944)

 

The two Dorsey Orchestras are still touring ...