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American trombonist, arranger, composer, and bandleader who defined the swing era with his distinctive 'Miller Sound'. Glenn Miller rose to fame in the late 1930s leading one of the most popular and commercially successful big bands. His orchestra achieved unprecedented success with hits like 'In the Mood,' 'Moonlight Serenade,' 'Chattanooga Choo Choo,' and 'Pennsylvania 6-5000.' Miller disbanded his civilian orchestra to join the US Army Air Forces during WWII, leading the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band to boost Allied troop morale. He disappeared over the English Channel in 1944 while traveling to France for performances, declared dead a year later. His music remains iconic.

• Miller's first attempt at leading his own band in 1937 failed financially, forcing him to disband it.
• He took a significant financial risk to secure a coveted radio spot on the 'Chesterfield Hour,' a gamble that paid off massively and launched his orchestra to national stardom.
• Miller disbanded his phenomenally successful civilian orchestra at its peak in 1942 to serve in the US Army Air Forces, accepting a captain's commission.
• His disappearance on December 15, 1944, aboard a UC-64 Norseman aircraft flying from England to France remains officially unsolved. The most accepted theory is that the plane crashed into the English Channel due to icing, bad weather, pilot error, or mechanical failure. His body was never recovered.
• Numerous conspiracy theories about his death surfaced, including being shot down by friendly fire or dying in a Paris brothel, but these are widely discredited by historians and lack credible evidence.