Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman, known as Woody Herman, was born on May 16, 1913, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and passed away on October 29, 1987, in West Hollywood, California. He was an influential American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Herman's career began in vaudeville as a child prodigy, singing and dancing before taking up the clarinet and saxophone. He gained prominence in the late 1930s and remained active in music until his death in 1987.
Herman's first band, formed in 1936, was known for its blues orchestrations and became famous with the hit "Woodchopper's Ball" in 1939, which sold over five million copies. Throughout the 1940s, his band, Herman's Herd, was celebrated for its exuberance and technical brilliance, performing at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and featuring notable musicians such as Zoot Sims and Stan Getz. Herman was one of the few big band leaders to incorporate bebop into his repertoire.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Herman embraced a diverse range of musical styles, performing works by artists like Charles Mingus and the Beatles. Despite financial struggles later in life, Herman maintained his reputation as a superb leader and organizer. His autobiography, "The Woodchopper’s Ball," was published posthumously in 1990. Herman's contributions to jazz were recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, underscoring his lasting impact on the genre.
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