finetune artist: Glen Gray

b. Glen Gray Knoblaugh, 7 June 1906, Roanoke, Illinois, USA, d. 23 August 1963, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Educated at Illinois Westleyan College, Gray played the saxophone with one of the Jean Goldkette outfits, the Orange Blossom Band. In 1928 the group played the Casa Loma hotel in Toronto, which later folded, and adopted the name Casa Loma Orchestra for its gigs around the Detroit area. Gray was the president and leader when the co-operative band was formed in 1929; it was headed by Henry Biagini, then by violinist Mel Jenssen, who remained its leader for several years. The band recorded for Brunswick Records in the early 30s with Gene Gifford shaping the band's arrangements and style. A fine swing unit with catchy riffs and attractive ballads, the Casa Loma orchestra gained a spot on the Camel Caravan radio show during 1934-36 and was later signed for Burns And Allen's show. Glen Gray was elected leader by popular vote in 1937 until his retirement in 1950; he and the Casa Loma appeared in such movies as Time Out For Rhythm (1941) and Gals, Inc (1943). During the mid-50s he began recording a series of extremely successful albums for Capitol Records, recreating the sounds of the Casa Loma and other bands of the swing era. He was still engaged on this project when he became a victim of cancer in 1963.

Listen to Glen Gray at Finetune.