Achievements

  • Miller gave his band a distinctive sound. In Miller’s music, the clarinet and tenor saxophone contribute to the melody while saxophones play a complementary harmonic line. This aspect of the band’s sound made Glenn Miller and his Orchestra’s music recognizable, distinguishing it from that of other groups.
  • Between 1939 and 1942, The Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded 17 Top 10 Hits in 1939, 31 in 1940, and 11 each in 1941 and 1942. By the 1940s, Glenn Miller was earning around $20,000 a week.
  • Glenn Miller’s most well-known songs include classic swing sensations like “In the Mood,” “A String of Pearls,” “Little Brown Jug” and “Moonlight Serenade.”
  • Miller and his Army Air Force Band kept up a hectic schedule of tours and performances. During its time, the band gave over 800 performances, more than 300 of which were personal appearances. The other 500 were broadcasts heard by millions of listeners.
  • Miller earned numerous awards: The Bronze Star Medal, The World War II Victory Medal, The American Campaign Medal, The European, African and Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and The Marksman Badge with Carbine and Pistol Bars.