The same orchestra had opened in New York's suburban Glen Island Casino eight years before, but since then it had almost doubled in size. Its leader, husky, shy Gordon Lee ("Tex") Beneke, had never wanted to lead a band, but now he had the biggest and most expensive dance band in the land.
There were 31 musicians on the stand, and in everybody's mind was the memory of a 32nd: Trombonist Glenn Miller, their former leader, who was killed 2½ years ago in a plane crash over the English Channel. The band still carried around Miller's custom-made trombone. Last week crowds who...
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