Glenn Miller disappeared Dec.

Monday, August 30, 1999

Glenn Miller disappeared Dec. 15, 1944. His music never did.

While the death of the Swing Era legend was a tragedy, the triumph is that is music remains timeless.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra is one of five acts headlining the 56th season of the Austin Artist Series and sure to be the single most favorite of the fivesome.

This year’s lineup begins with the Will Millar and Some Mad Irishmen Tuesday, Sept. 28.

Next up is Five Guys Named ‘Moe’ Oct. 19 followed by The Marlins Nov. 19; Great Wall Acrobats March 25, 2000; and the Glenn Miller Orchestra Wednesday, Apr. 26, 2000.

All of the performers will entertain beginning at 7:30 p.m. each scheduled evening in Knowlton Auditorium at Austin High School.

In conjunction with the Austin Artist Series is the Osage, Iowa concert series. Spirit and Soul will perform instrumental favorites Oct. 12; James Buxton, a harpist and singer, will entertain Nov. 18; Vox P will perform Feb. 17; and Bill Schustik, a troubadour, will perform March 28..

All of the Osage, Iowa concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. each scheduled evening.

The kick-off for the 56th Austin Artist Series season is Sept. 8, with a banquet at St. Edward’s Catholic Church Corcoran Center.

Admission is my membership only. Tickets will be sold through the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau in the lower level of the Town Center. Season memberships are $25 for adults, $10 for students and $55 for families.

No single admissions will be available, nor will memberships be offered during the concert season.

There will be 100 volunteer members canvassing the community selling memberships, as well as the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau outlet.

"We are very proud of the caliber of talent we can bring to our area," said Don Claussen, the Austin Artist Series Association’s chair. "The continued support of our membership allows us to offer the nine performances for only a minimum."

"People would pay at least twice as much for performances by the same professional artists in a large metropolitan area; not to mention the expenses saved on travel, lodging, meals and parking," Claussen.

Once again, Dave Kahlman (433-3170), retired Austin Public Schools music director, is in charge of publicity.

Ticket sales begin Sept. 8 when the kick-off banquet is held and end Sept. 20. Karen Anderson (433-9094 daytime) and Claussen (433-9207 evenings) are also helping coordinate ticket sales.

According to Kahlman, a committee meets each year with a booking agent and chooses the acts and entertainments with its greater Austin audience in mind.

Will Miller and Some Mad Irishmen are a five-member band on guitar, fiddle, drums, bass, mandolin, banjo, keyboards, harmonica and vocals.

Millar’s own recording of "The Unicorn" has sold over 8.5 million records world-wide.

The concert performer, poet, singer and historian is also a storyteller and author.

Five Guys Named ‘Moe’ offers high energy swing and jazz. Their vocal standards to jazz instrumentals, western swing and free-wheeling bop are sure-fire crowd-pleasers.

The Marlins are a group of five brothers, who have been performing together for 25 years.

Big band tunes, classical melodies, ragtime, cool jazz bluegrass and pop music are their trademark.

The Great Wall Acrobats are a company of 20 performers, who present a cleverly staged performance of "The Monkey King."

Traditional Chinese acrobatics and kung fu, plus masks, puppetry and dance makes this act a "family favorite."

Finally, there is the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

When the orchestra leader’s plan went down over the English Channel, during World War II, on a flight from London to Paris, it was at the height of the bandleader’s popularity.

Two years earlier, he had disbanded his famous orchestra to join the U.S. Army and form the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band to entertain servicemen.

At the time, Miller and Tommy Dorsey were the top swing bands in America. Miller’s inimitable styling made "In The Mood Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade" and "Tuxedo Junction" major hit records

The band played to sell-out crowds everywhere it went and Miller’s music dominated the radio airwaves.

Today, 55 years later after Miller died in the single-engine plane crash, his music remains the most-sought after big band sound in America.

The Miller Estate formed the present Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1956, following strong popular demand that arose after an immense box-office smash "The Glenn Miller Story," starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson.

The band now tours constantly, averaging 300 performances a year world-wide before millions of fans.

In its 56th season, the Austin Artist Series has saved the best for last with the Glenn Miller Orchestra rounding out the 1999-2000 lineup of entertainers Apr. 26, 2000.