Chapter 7: Swing and Big Bands
The Jewish clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman became one of the most iconic figures of the Swing Era, Known for his flawless technique, musical discipline, and drive for perfection, Goodman played a pivotal role in bringing swing music to mainstream American audiences and in popularizing jazz as a respected art form.
In 1934, Goodman formed a new orchestra and auditioned for a national radio program called Let’s Dance, sponsored by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco). The show aired on NBC on Saturday nights and gave Goodman’s band unprecedented exposure. The ensemble quickly became a favorite among radio listeners across the country. By 1935, during the height of his popularity, the respected jazz magazine Metronome named the Benny Goodman Band the "Best Swing Band of the Year," and major newspapers soon began calling him the "King of Swing."
Goodman’s popularity soared in the late 1930s. He hosted two prominent radio programs, Let’s Dance and The Camel Caravan, which further expanded his national audience. His music reached Hollywood as well, with appearances in films like Hollywood Hotel (1937). One of his most famous recordings, the explosive instrumental version of Louis Prima’s "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" (1937), became a swing anthem. During a 1935 performance at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, the audience response to “Sing, Sing, Sing” was so enthusiastic that dancers stopped to gather near the stage and watch the band, signaling that swing music was now a spectacle more than dance music.
While Goodman demanded discipline and excellence from his musicians, he also broke significant racial barriers. At a time when segregation was still deeply entrenched in American life, Goodman made the bold choice to integrate his small ensembles, hiring top Black musicians such as pianist Teddy Wilson, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, and guitarist Charlie Christian. Their collaborations, which produced classics like "Wholly Cats" and "Breakfast Feud," marked some of the first times Black and white musicians performed together in public as equals. This was not only musically groundbreaking but also socially courageous, especially for a nationally visible figure.
Despite his pioneering efforts, racial inequality remained stark in the swing era. Between 1935 and 1945, white bandleaders such as Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller dominated the charts, scoring a combined 292 top ten hits. In contrast, African American orchestras led by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmy Lunceford, and Chick Webb only managed 32 top ten hits during the same period, reflecting the systemic disparities in radio airplay, record distribution, and financial support within the music industry.
Even so, Benny Goodman’s success helped legitimize jazz and swing in the eyes of mainstream America. His music brought jazz into the concert hall, and in 1938, he famously headlined a performance at Carnegie Hall, a landmark event that symbolized the arrival of jazz as a respected form of American music.