he Glenn Miller Orchestra

Larry O'Brien, Musical Director

The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful of all the bandleaders back in the swing era of the 1930's and 1940's. He knew what he wanted and his dedication and relentles work to succeed paid off. In March 1938 he launched the band that is the one that lives on today. A matchless string of hit records, a constant impact of radio broadcasts, drawing power at theatres, hotels, and dance pavilions built and sustained the momentum of popularity.

Glenn disbanded his musical organization at the height of its popularity in 1942 in the midst of World War II to form the famous Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. Led by then Major Miller, it went to Europe to entertain the servicemen. On December 15, 1944, Major Miller took off from England in a single-engine plane to precede his band to France, never to be seen again. He was declared officially dead a year later by the Army.

Because of popular demand, the Miller Estate authorized the formation of the present Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1956 under the direction of drummer Ray McKinley, who had become the unofficial leader of the Army Air Force Band after Glenn's disappearance. Since then, other leaders have followed Ray including clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, trombonists Buddy Morrow, Jimmy Henderson and Larry O'Brien, and tenor saxophonist Dick Gerhart.

Today, the 19-member band continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements under the direction of Larry O'Brien. Additionally, they also play more modern selections in the big-band style, carefully selecting only those tunes that lend themselves naturally to the Miller style and sound. The entire repertoire now exceeds 1,700 compositions and keeps the band popular with both young and old (but young at heart). The Glenn Miller Orchestra is the most sought after big-band in the world and is considered the greatest band of its kind of all time.

Present band leader Larry O'Brien, in his second tenure in that position, has a long history with big bands having performed in the orchestras of Sammy Kaye, Buddy Morrow, Ray Eberle, Les Elgar and Art Mooney among others. He was the featured soloist/lead trombonist in the Sam Donahue/Tommy Dorsey Orchestra where he played all those memorable Dorsey solos.

Today Larry is again dedicated to preserving and performing the great Glenn Miller Sound and repertoire to the delight of audiences world-wide.

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