A big band is a musical grouping that is largely known for playing jazz music, or Swing. A big band usually has from twelve to twenty-five musicians with a large brass section (trumpets, trombones, saxophones and/or clarinets), a rhythm section and one or more singers.

Swing was a more relaxed and less strict form of jazz. Swing music existed in the United States as far back as the 1920s but it really did not become popular until 1936. Like many musical genres, it started with mostly black musicians and was popularized by white musicians. The main fans of swing music were white teenagers and adults in their 20s.

Several of the many big bands existed long before the Swing era. For example, the Cab Calloway Orchestra was formed in 1907. Many of the others were formed in the 1920s and The Glenn Miller Orchestra and Benny Goodman and his Orchestra formed in the late 1930s.

Some of the most successful big bands of the Swing era were The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Count Basie and his Orchestra, and Benny Goodman and his Orchestra.

Big bands remained extremely popular until the advent of rock and roll in the 1950s.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed in 1938. Glenn Miller had played with other big bands such as Red Nichols and The Dorsey Brothers but wanted to create his own unique sound.The band began recording for RCA Victor's Bluebird records that same year and quickly became very popular. From 1939 to 1942, the band appeared on radio three times a week. In 1942, they received their first gold record for "Chattanooga Choo-choo." Other popular and now classic songs they recorded were "In The Mood" and "Moonlight Serenade."

During World War II, Glenn Miller joined the Army and formed a band before he was transferred to the Air Force. Miller wanted to modernize military music and largely succeeded. In 1944, the plane Miller was riding in disappeared over the English Channel, it has never been found.

However, the Glenn Miller Orchestra did carry on; the band's lead tenor saxophonist and singer, Tex Beneke took over the band until 1956 and are currently led by trombonist Larry O'Brien.

In 1953, a very successful movie was made about Glenn Miller. The Glenn Miller Story starred James Stewart and was a box office smash. It won an Oscar for Best Music Recording.

Glenn Miller certainly succeeded in creating an original and unique voice in the music of the 1930s and '40s and his music continues to win new fans even today.

The Count Basie Orchestra was formed in 1934 in Kansas City, Missouri. It originally featured 9 members; 2 trumpeters, 2 alto saxophonists, 1 tenor sax, 1 trombone, drums, upright bass, and piano. At the suggestion of record producer John Hammond, they expanded to 13 members in 1936. The expanded lineup included a singer. Billie Holiday was a singer with the band up until 1938 when she was replaced by Helen Humes.

Some of The Count Basie Orchestra's most famous early musical works are "One O'Clock Jump" from 1937 and "Jumpin' the Woodside" from 1938.

The band broke up after 1942 due to the war; many of the members were drafted and there was also a ban of vinyl recordings during that time. The band reformed in 1952 and continues today despite the fact that Count Basie died in 1984. The current leader of the Count Basie Orchestra is Bill Hughes.

The Benny Goodman Orchestra were formed by Benny Goodman in 1934. Their first job was working for Billy Rose at the Music Hall theatre restaurant. The band was originally a trio with Gene Krupa on drums, Teddy Wilson on piano and Goodman on the clarinet. That same year they were hired to appear on the radio show Let's Dance which featured three bands on a rotating weekly basis.

In 1935, the Benny Goodman Orchestra went on their first cross-country tour. At the very last concert date at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, thousand of excited teenagers showed up and it made national news. After that, all of their appearance were met with similar success. From 1936-1939, the band appeared weekly on CBS radio's Camel Caravan.

The band was the first big band to have such great success with Swing music. Drummer Gene Krupa is the person believed to have first started calling Goodman "The King of Swing."

By 1938, the band was now a quartet after adding Lionel Hampton on the vibraphone. They became the first jazz band to appear at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Over the years, the number of members of the band changed; from a quartet, to a sextet, to a quintet.

The Benny Goodman Orchestra disbanded in 1947 but Goodman continued to play with a number of smaller bands until his death in 1986. He had played a concert the day he died.