(b Clarinda, ia, 1 March 1904; d between London and Paris, c 15 Dec 1944). American bandleader, trombonist,arranger and composer. He joined the Dorsey Brothers' Orchestra (1934) and while with Ray Noble's group (1935) conceived his characteristic reed-section sound of a clarinet over four saxophones. The orchestra he formed in 1938, noted for its precision, rapidly became the most popular ‘sweet’ swing band through its recordings Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug and In the Mood. In 1942 Miller assembled a service band, later posted to England. Mystery surrounding his death (he was declared missing after an aeroplane flight) helped translate his international fame into near legend.
