[Dixielandjazz] : Glenn Miller Band--query from Randy Fendrick

[Steve Voce]

The British trumpet player Kenny Baker was in an RAF band during the war. When Miller required a dep trumpeter, Baker was assigned to him. At the end of his tenure Kenny went to see Miller. He went into Miller's office and said 'I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful experience of playing with the band,'
'Stand to attention when you speak to me!' shouted Miller.

Steve Voce

Sent from my iPad

On 22 Jun 2013, at 21:10, "Norman Vickers" <nvickers1 at cox.net> wrote:

> To:  DJML and Musicians and Jazzfans lists
> From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola
> 
> Trombonist Randy Fendrick sends the following query about the Glenn Miller
> Band.  (  I Didn't know there was more than one.)  Randy, resident of
> Bakersfield, CA,  is retired teacher and co-leader of the Southside Chicago
> Seven.
> Perhaps someone(s) on either list can enlighten us all!
> 
> Permit me one personal anecdote.  I crossed paths with (the late)
> clarinetist Peanuts Hucko and asked him about the story that occurred when
> Miller's band was in London during the blitz.  Story went that they really
> didn't need to be in downtown London and that Miller has asked the US guys
> to move them out to quarters in countryside. US transportation guys said
> that they'd do it the following week, as this was the weekend and they were
> not to be bothered.  Miller then went to the British transportation forces
> and they moved them out on Saturday.  On Sunday night, there was a direct
> bomb hit on the dormitory where they all would have been sleeping.  Peanuts
> was very complimentary of Miller and said that he was very concerned about
> all aspects of the band's welfare.
> 
> Who can enlighten us on the other Miller bands during WWII?  Other Miller
> anecdotes?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Randy Fendrick [mailto:jfendrick at bak.rr.com] 
> Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2013 2:44 PM
> To: F. Norman Vickers
> Subject: Glenn Miller Band
> 
> Norman-I recently finished reading an autobiography by Carlyle Nelson who
> was married to Hilo Hatty and was also a violinist and sax/clarinet player.
> During World War II, Nelson indicated that at one time he had been assigned
> to one of Glenn Miller's three radio bands, which were located in New York,
> Fort Worth and Santa Ana, California.  The New York band in 1943 or 44, was
> transferred to London with the Fort Worth band moving to New York.  While it
> stands to reason concerning time differences, etc., I had never heard that
> where actually three bands with full staffs etc.  Is there anyone in your
> group that might be able to shed a little more light on this for me?
> Apparently William Holden was one of the actors in the cast for the Fort
> Worth band and was replaced by Gene Raymond when Holden went home on leave
> for the birth of his child.  Kind of interesting.
> Thanks
> Randy Fendrick=
> 
>                        --End--
>