Ben Pollack
Ben Pollack was an influential American drummer and bandleader, born on June 22, 1903, in Chicago, Illinois. He became a key figure in the jazz, Dixieland, swing, and big band genres, earning the nickname "Father of Swing" due to his talent for discovering and nurturing future stars like Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Jack Teagarden, and Harry James.
Pollack began his musical journey in high school, forming bands and performing professionally in his teens. In 1923, he joined the New Orleans Rhythm Kings and later the Harry Bastin Band in Los Angeles. By 1925, he had formed the 12-piece Venice Ballroom Orchestra, also known as Ben Pollack and His Californians, which included notable musicians such as Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller. The band gained exposure through radio performances and extensive recordings under various pseudonyms for multiple labels.
In 1928, Pollack's band moved to New York City, achieving success with Broadway shows and an exclusive engagement at the Park Central Hotel. Despite his success as a bandleader, Pollack aspired to be more of a singer and businessman, eventually stepping back from drumming. He managed Chico Marx's band in 1942 and ran a small record company, Jewel, in the mid-1940s.
Pollack's personal life was tumultuous, marked by a marriage to singer Doris Robbins in 1935, which ended in divorce in 1940. He later operated a restaurant, "Pick-a-Rib," on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood and led a Dixieland sextet in the 1960s. By 1965, he had left music entirely, partnering with his sister in a bar business in Palm Springs, California.
Tragically, Pollack's life ended in suicide on June 7, 1971, in Palm Springs, leaving behind a legacy of musical innovation and a reputation as a significant talent scout in the jazz world.
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