FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    April 1, 2008

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA TO CLOSE CONCERT SERIES SEASON

            The swinging music of Glenn Miller will bring the 2007-2008 Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series to a close at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 14, in Herod Hall Auditorium at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

            Tickets for the appearance of the Glenn Miller Orchestra are $10 for adults and $5 for students. They are available at Holder Drug, Schuhmacher’s, Alva Chamber of Commerce and Northwestern Bookstore or by calling (580) 327-8590.

            Except for a period following Glenn Miller’s disappearance during World War II, his orchestra and music have been heard around the world continuously since 1938.

            The Iowa native’s first band was a total failure, but a few months later, he launched his second band that became an enormous success. He had a matchless string of hit records, made numerous radio broadcasts and drew thousands at performances in theatres, hotels and dance pavilions.

            The Miller recording in 1941 of “Chattanooga Choo Choo” received the first gold record ever to be awarded. Other monster hits during the late 1930s and early 1940s included “In the Mood,” “A String of Pearls,” “Tuxedo Junction” and “Moonlight Serenade.”

            “Moonlight Serenade” became the musical signature of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, used to sign on and sign off engagements and radio broadcasts. It remains the orchestra’s signature to this day. Interestingly enough, Miller originally wrote the music as an exercise for a course in arranging. He composed it long before he organized his own band, while he was a trombonist and arranger with the Ray Noble band.

            At the height of his popularity, Miller disbanded his musical organization in 1942 to volunteer for the U.S. Army and formed the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band.

             In December 1944, Miller took off in a single engine plane from England to fly to France to organize appearances of his band. He disappeared during that flight and was officially declared dead a year later.

            His estate later authorized the formation of the present Glenn Miller Orchestra. The group travels more than 100,000 miles each year, playing nearly 300 dates.

            Naturally, the orchestra continues to play Miller’s songs with Miller’s sound. It is a fully self-contained group with a musical director, five saxophone players, four trumpeters, four trombonists, three rhythm musicians (piano, bass and drums) and two vocalists.

            Trombonist Larry O’Brien became the leader of the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1988. He also served in that position from 1981-83 and had played in the band in the early 1960s when it was led by Ray McKinley.

             O’Brien has been involved with big bands during most of his career, playing with  Sammy Kaye, Buddy Morrow, Ray Eberle, Les Elgart and others. He spent several years in Las Vegas, working with such artists as Sergio Franchi, Wayne Newton and Roy Clark.

             O’Brien has his own ideas about how to keep the Miller sound and style fresh.

            “I’m a traditionalist, but we’re not nit-picking Miller,” he said. “We’ve instituted some changes we think Glenn probably would have instituted himself.”

            “Some of the more modern part of our repertoire, we play in the big band style,” he added. “Some we don’t. We’re trying to run this band the way we feel Glenn would have.”

            Julia Rich became the featured female vocalist with the orchestra in 1985 at the Opryland Hotel in her hometown of Nashville. Typically the “girl singer” role with an orchestra can be limited, but many of the standards have been reworked specifically for her.

            While she grew up in Nashville, Rich’s voice and heart have remained loyal to the big band sounds.

            “I never sang country,” she said. “I appreciate it, but you have to sing or play the music in your heart.”

            When time allows, Rich pursues her own musical interests and has completed two recordings separate from the orchestra. She also enjoys performing with various jazz ensembles.

            Male vocalist Ryan Garfi began singing at age 3 in his church’s choir. At age 11, he joined a band known as The CHORDuroys that specialized in recreating the sounds and styles of the 1950s and ‘60s.

            The group broke up in 2005 and Garfi spent two years studying business at James Madison University. He refocused his career on music and was accepted into the Glenn Miller Orchestra in February 2007.

-NW-

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