Glenn Miller

 Ray Anthony has only endorsed two products during his long and successful career-- only two because he doesn’t give use of his name lightly.  As a teenager he played trumpet for the famed Glenn Miller Orchestra during the swing era.  A decade later he formed his own band and recorded a number of his own tunes including “The Bunny Hop.”  He played a Selmer trumpet in his early career, but switched some 40 years ago to a Yamaha trumpet.  Ray also formed his own music publishing company along the way and produced and released several well-selling albums.

Irwin Berg has a million great stories, like the one when Glenn Miller ensured that his father not serve in the infantry during World War II, but instead, design and manufacture all the mutes for the Army Air Force band and those of the Navy bands as well. Irwin has since expanded the business to cover the globe, but, of course, they still offer those same mutes! His NAMM Oral History interview was completed on July 24, 2005. 

Billy May was a fun loving trumpeter who arranged some of the best-loved music of the Big Band Era! His humor and musical talents provided hit recordings for Glenn Miller, Charlie Barnet and Frank Sinatra, to name but three. His enormous output included radio, TV and movie work as well as thousands of studio recordings over his 6 decades as a musical artist. When NAMM first requested that Mr. May record some of his stories for the Oral History program he shied away from the request. It wasn’t until Sammy Nestico made the request on behalf of NAMM that Mr. May and Mr. Nestico were interviewed together. It was a historic event, which we proudly add to our collection. 

Vito Pascucci was assigned to band instrument repair during World War II for Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Band. Although Miller was much older, the world-famous bandleader and Vito became fast friends and, in fact, outlined a plan to establish a chain of music retail stores after the war. Miller’s disappearance in 1944 ended that dream, and Vito took some time after the war to study musical instruments while still in France. He met Leon Leblanc and within a few years opened the American branch of G. Leblanc. The tremendous success of the company and its strong and innovative product line led to Vito’s well-respected reputation.  

Ed Soph toured as the drummer and percussionist for several noted jazz bands during the 1970s. His noted work with the Woody Herman Orchestra led to gigs with the Glenn Miller Ghost Band and countless recording engagements. Ed has taught clinics throughout the world and has been a long supporter of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). Ed’s interview for the NAMM Oral History Program and the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) archives was completed on November 10, 2006.
 

Paul Tanner has lived a full and successful life in music. As a young trombone player, Paul was hired by Glenn Miller for the famed leader’s popular dance band. In fact, every gig, recording, and movie that the band appeared in, Paul was there! Paul played with the band for the last time right before Miller left to lead the Army Air Force Band. After the war, Paul turned his interest to music education and taught at UCLA for over 30 years. He continued to play throughout the 1950s and 60s, making notable recordings such as playing the Theremin on the Beach Boy hit “Good Vibration” and countless studio recordings.  

Ralph Zumpano worked in the Kenosha, Wisconsin, LeBlanc plant most of his professional career. Ralph married Vito Pascucci’s sister and was alongside Vito from the very beginning of the opening of LeBlanc in the United States in 1947. Over his long career Ralph held many positions, becoming Vito’s right-hand man, overseeing production within the factory and helping to establish new products. Ralph’s friendship with Vito goes back to the years before World War II when Vito’s brothers ran a music store, which is where Vito learned to repair musical instruments.