Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904-probably December 15, 1944) started life as Alton Glenn Miller in Clarinda, Iowa. Miller was an American jazz musician and bandleader in the swing era who was probably the genre's best-selling performer from 1939-1942. After a very successful career, including many famous recordings, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances during World War II, while on a flight to entertain U.S. troops in France.
Whether or not the crash abetted it, Miller's signature recordings — including, among others, "In the Mood", "Tuxedo Junction", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "Moonlight Serenade", "Sun Valley Jump", and "Pennsylvania 6-5000" (named for the exchange of his New York hotel residence) — have remained familiar, even to generations born decades after their creator was killed.
