Benny Goodman
Jazz Musician / Bandleader
Benny Goodman, a prodigy on the clarinet, joined the professional musician's union when he was just 13 years old and made his first recording as a soloist four years later. In the 1920s he played in orchestras, on the radio and for stage shows, and made several recordings as a sideman (including for Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday). In the early 1930s Goodman formed his own orchestra and the Swing Era began. He became a world famous bandleader, appeared in the movies and dominated popular music until the 1950s, with well over 100 hit songs, including "Let's Dance," "Blue Moon," "One O'Clock Jump" and "Six Appeal."Extra credit: Benny Goodman is considered the first bandleader to perform in public with a racially integrated orchestra.
Four Good Links
Benny Goodman
Career background from a larger site on music
Benny Goodman
Profile from the Red Hot Jazz archive that puts him in context
Listen to Benny Goodman
Audio interview with plenty of background information
Goodman, Benny
Brief profile and a way to find some of his records
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
Best Known As
Clarinetist nicknamed "The King of Swing"

