FREE ESSAY ON GLEN MILLER

GLEN MILLER

Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was born March 1, 1904. To Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. He was born in
a rural Southwestern Iowa town named Clarinda. When Glenn uttered his first cry, Clarinda
heard his first " Moonlight Serenade". Glenn's first serenade was not particularly unique
as it had been sung by children for centuries and was barley heard across South 16th
Street. However, his second Moonlight Serenade was unique, becoming the theme song of his
number one Big Band and heard literally all around the world. 
Glenn's grandparents were a part of the westward movement of people during the 1800's and
moved to the Clarinda area around the 1850's. During their stay in Southwest Iowa, their
son Elmer married Mattie Lou Cavender and before this young couple left Clarinda, their
first son, Dean, was born; followed by a second son, Alton Glenn Miller, on March 1,
1904. 
In hopes of a brighter future, the young couple decided to homestead and moved on west in
1907 to Tryon, Nebraska where they lived in a sod house. In the evenings, Glenn's mother,
Mattie Lou, would play a simple pump organ which helped ease the lonesome existence on
the flatlands. Man, if you think it is a long lonesome distance across Nebraska, then
just think what it looked like back then. Glenn's mother Mattie Lou started a school
called "Happy Hollow". As they rode the wagon to school each morning her and the children
would sing songs. In 1913 Mattie Lou gave birth to her third son Herb. 
In 1915, Glenn and his family decide to move to Grantcity, Missouri where he went to
grade school. This is when he started his first job working for the town bandsman, John
Mosbarger. This is when Glenn received his first trombone, then he started to play in the
town band.
In 1918, Glenn's mother gave birth to her 4th child, Irene, They ended up moving again to
Fort Morgan, Colorado, where Glenn attended high school. During his senior year, Glenn
decided to try the game of football, and by the end of the season, he was chosen by the
Colorado High School Sports Association as " the best left end in Colorado". Even though
football just was not his interest. Glenn then became very interested in a new sound
called dance band music. Glenn enjoyed this music so much that he and some classmates
decided to start their own band. When it came time for Glenn's graduation ceremony, he
decided to skip it and travel to Laramie, Wyoming to play in a band. The night of his
ceremony his mother ended up having to accept his diploma for him.