Today’s song of the day is “String of Pearls” by Glenn Miller and his orchestra.

Fun Facts

• Jerry Gray began his career as a first-chair violinist for Artie Shaw.
• While performing with Shaw, Gray studied arranging under him and became a staff arranger within a year.
• When Shaw suddenly disbanded his orchestra in 1939, Glenn Miller called the next day and offered Gray a job arranging for him.
• While with Miller, besides “String of Pearls,” Gray composed and/or arranged many of Miller’s other biggest hits, including “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000.”
• Violinist Jerry Gray composed and arranged the song with lyrics by Eddie DeLange.
• “String of Pearls” was the B-side of the 78 single release, with Day Dreaming on side-A.
• The great jazz player Bobby Hackett performed the cornet solo on “String of Pearls.”
• Hackett joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra to repay a substantial debt owed to MCA (Music Corporation of America) when his big band, backed by MCA, failed.
• The Glenn Miller Story, the major motion picture that starred James Stewart, featured “String of Pearls.”
• Benny Goodman later recorded “String of Pearls” and the War Department released it in April 1945.
• Mrs. Glenn Miller presented Glenn Miller’s trombone to Jimmy Stewart to be used in the filming of the Glenn Miller Story.

Lyrics:

This is an instrumental piece; no lyrics!