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Benny Goodman The King of Swing

The King of Swing was born on May 30, 1909 in Chicago. He learned the Clarinet by 14 and was already in a band at 16. That band was the Ben Pollak band. In 1929 at only 20 years old, he was the leader of his very own pit orchestra.      The Benny Goodman orchestra was born in 1934 when Billy Rose needed a band to play his bar. Later that year, Benny became a celebrity on the "Let's Dance" program. People stopped coming to dance, they came to see Benny.      The quartet was created when Benny got together with three other musicians including Lionel Hampton.      On Janyary 16, 1938, The Benny Goodman Orchestra played the Carnegie Hall. The members of the band included Gene Krupa, Harry James, and some people that played that night are Count Basie and some of his band members and some of Duke Ellington's musicians.      Over his 77 years of life, Benjamin David Goodman has played into our hearts with many musicians like Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Harry James. With songs like "Don't be That Way" and "Sing Sing Sing". Benny Goodman Died on June 30, 1986. The King of Swing was one of the world's greatest musicians and was an all around "good egg."

For more info on Benny Goodman, visit: www.bennygoodman.com