When Miller broke up the band in 1942 to join the U.S. Army, Tex, played with other bands (Horace Heidt and Jan Savitt) before himself joining the U.S. Navy (where he played in the U.S. Navy Band.) In 1946, he was asked by Glenn's widow to take over the leadership of the Miller band. "With Miller a fallen hero," wrote Leo Walker, "demand for the Miller sound was bigger than ever, and the band played to capacity audiences everywhere."

A year later he billed himself as "Tex Beneke and His Orchestra: Playing the Music Made Famous by Glenn Miller." In the 1960's he worked occasionally at Disneyland and at special Miller re-unions. By the 1970's and 1980's he played with his own band in a style closely related to Miller's but with new songs. His new found success kept him active until the 1990's (mostly touring the West coast.) His health has been failing in recent years. (Regretfully, Tex passed away in May 2001. "Tex" Beneke )

Curiously, tho he was one of the most popular soloists with the Miller band, his role was completely omitted from the Hollywood film, "The Glenn Miller Story".
Above notes submitted my Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

   [ The Benson Orch ].
(also please see Don Bestor Orch.)
Here's a photo of this great Benson Orchestra in 1925, which was based in Chicago's Marigold Gardens, a venue notorious for it's gangster connections. It was one of the two most outstanding bands then working in Chicago. (The Coon-Sanders Nighthawks was the other band. They Played at the Blackhawk.) The band, named after the manager, band agent Edgar A. Benson, was really under the direction of pianist Roy Bargy - first.

Their earliest recording took place in Camden, NJ, on September 1920. Seven months later, on April 1921, they again recorded (at Victor's Camden, NJ Studio). Musically speaking, this was a rather interesting session. It was the first known recording of the song "San". (Digitally re-mastered by Mr. Verne Buland.) Another of the songs recorded that day was "Na Jo", (aka: "No Ja"), which is also quite interesting because it may have been the very first use of "stop time" rhythm on a record. Listen particulaly to their clarinetist, Matt Amaturo, as he solos with the full band doing the "stop-time" back-drop or fill-ins. The September 1921 recording of "Wabash Blues" was their best selling record, over 750,000 copies (in 1921!)

One should definitely note that the band's deployment of section arranging, and also of the use of solo instruments to play against a whole section in harmony, mark this band as being very well ahead of it's time.

Late in 1921, Bargy had a disagreement with Bensen and left to form his own band, which had many of the original Bensen Orchestra sidemen. His replacement was another pianist named Don Bestor. Bestor's orchestra has such sidemen as: Herb Carlin, trumpet; Volly de Faut (aka: de Foul), clarinet; Charley Straight; and Frankie Trumbauer (who left in April 1924 to join Ray Miller's band in New York City). Here's the Benson Band (with Don Bestor as leader) in 1924 with their version of the Vincent Youmans' tune (E.Y. Harburg Lyric) Tea For Two, - digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. Bestor stayed on as leader until 1925

In 1925, the trumpeter Fred Hamm became the leader. Bestor following in Roy Bargy's footsteps, formed a band of his own that recorded up to the mid-1930's. But, a definite policy change now took place. Hamm, and the subsequent leaders, recorded using their own name and the sub-title of "A Benson Orchestra".

Edgar Benson's Cello playing was eminently forgettable.

   [ Memo Bernabei Orch ]
Theme Song: "Memories of You"
Saxophonist Memo Bernabei, born in Pittsburgh in 1917, played with the Ray Pearl band (1936-1939) and Jan Garber (1945-1955) before forming his own band in 1958, he has had a band ever since.

The Bernabei Orchestra's debut took place at the Chateau Ballroom in downtown Los Angeles in 1958, years after most leaders retired from the business. "I know a lot of musicians have had a lot of troubles, keeping up and being on the road. I have always been very fortunate, very ,very fortunate." Bernabei said in 1995 that the band business has, "really been good to me. Even during this era when Big Bands aren't doing so good, I 'm still doing good. I can't complain one bit."

Bernabei found success playing in the Jan Garber style which was well suited for hotels. In the 1950's he signed a record contract with Windsor and had a local dance hit called "Bernabei's Bounce. By 1964 he had become the house-band and ballroom manager for the Golden West Ballroom in Norwalk (staying there for 14 years). Today he continues to play local jazz parities mostly in Southern California.

In private correspondence, Mrs. Connie Bernabei has advised that her husband just turned 90 years old in March (2007), and has now retired to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

   [ Ben Bernie and all the Lads ]
b. May 30, 1894, Bayonne, NJ, USA> d. Oct. 20, 1943, Beverly Hills, CA, USA.
né: Bernard Anzelevitz
Theme Songs:
In-theme: "It's a Lonesome Old Town"
Out-Theme: "Au Revoir, Pleasant Dreams"
Intro: "How do you do Ladies and Gentlemen, This is Ben Bernie, The Ol' Maestro, Yow-sah".
Overview:
Here's a photograph of Ben Bernie and Friends, who include Harry James and his wife, vocalist Louise Tobin, plus fellow leaders Tony Pastor and Jimmy Dorsey. Technically, Ben Bernie can be called a Jazz Age personality because of his having an orchestra during the period. And here's a photograph of Ben and his 1920s band, way back in the "Jazz Age". But in reality, he is more of an emergent from the 'roaring 1920s'.

Ben eventually formed a band which led to a career in radio and motion pictures. He was a wonderful Master of Ceremonies, Comedian, Bandleader, and sometime Singer (of sorts). Ben began his career in pre-WW1 vaudeville. By 1922, he was leading his own band.

Now, watch this Video of Ben Bernie's orchestra, in the 1920s, playing   VIDEO: "Sweet Georgia Brown", Jack Pettis, formely of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, and now with Bernie has a very nice solo on this tune. This also made him one of the first Jazzmen to appear on film. (film clip: DGatsby)

Now watch the Bernie orchestra playing a   VIDEO: "Medley"   including "Rosemarie", "Lady Be Good", an up-tempo version of "Indian Love Call", and a tune I do not recall at this moment, then "Tea For Two", and finally "Fascinating Rhythm". (If anyone knows the un-named song, please do let us know) (film clip: jackszz)

From 1933 to 1937 he had his own very popular radio show, sponsored by the Pabst Brewing Company. The band recorded a great many songs, and also appeared in films. (One with Walter Winchell co-starring.) Bernie's hallmark was his saying 'Yowsah, Yowsah' at the beginning of, and all during his radio or stage performances. Mr. Leonard Schwartz has contributed the photo of an Early Ben Bernie Orchestra

During World War II, the Bernie orchestra was sponsored by a number of companies, including this
  "1942 Ben Bernie Radio Show Excerpt", (4.8 MB) sponsored by Wrigley's Chewing Gum. .Bernie opens with a commercial for Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Gum, then the song "We're All In It Now", he then introduces Elisse Cooper " the Pixie from Dixie" singing "That Soldier of Mine", - Bernie delivers a "World War II commercial for the "U.S. Employment Service", and then sings "Tillie The Toiler" , followed by his goodbye spiel"

Born into a large family in New York City, Bernie's parents encouraged his musical education because he showed such brilliance with the violin. At just 15, he taught violin in a music school that was short-lived. But soon after that, he enrolled in a technical college, where he became involved with the college shows.

After leaving school, Ben started in Vaudeville with monologues and fiddle playing, touring the eastern and midwestern states. Though his novelty act exhibited humor and wit, it was never well received and bookings were scarce. By early 1914, things were so desperate that he was reduced to playing in some pretty sorry places. His big break came when New York's famed Reisenweber's Restaurant decided that his speaking voice and personality made him the MC they needed for their shows.

It was a good job for Ben, but performing was in his blood and he couldn't resist another shot at vaudeville. About this time, Ben met another performer, accordionist Phil Baker, whose routines included some gags. This new team then worked up a banter and music vaudeville act that proved successful, and they even made some recordings in the 'nineteens', prior to WW1.

After World War I, bandleading was to become his professional career. In the early 1920s, he was so impressed with Paul Whiteman's "symphonic" approach to the 'new' Jazz that he decided to create 'Ben Bernie and His Orchestra'; employing the musicians of a band formerly led by Don Juelle.

New York's Roosevelt Hotel had just been built and Ben's orchestra were the first group to play there. Though only scheduled for a short engagement, the orchestra was so popular with the guests that the residency was extended from 1923 to 1929. Bernie's first local New York broadcasts were remotes from this Hotel, and it was here that he developed his radio style into the 'Yowsah' talking form for which he would be forever known.

The recordings from the Roosevelt days are at times very original and jazzy. However, by the early 1930's as the Jazz Age closed, his band had evolved into a 'Pop' or 'Sweet Music' type of orchestra. From the earlier recordings of "A Little Bit Bad" and "Sleepy Time Gal", the band transitioned to "I'm Bringing A Red, Red Rose", "Out Where The Little Moonbeams Are Born", and "Following You Around". The band even enjoyed a European tour.

In the great Stock Market crash of Oct. 1929, Ben, in common with most of the world, suffered heavy losses. However because of his prior work in Radio during the early 1920s, he was able to now find work in the medium, bouncing around between networks and sponsors while his shows gained popularity. Bernie's light banter and his vocal insertions of 'yowsah' into the music was a real audience pleaser.

Bernie indulged in a radio "feud" with the famed newspaper gossip columnist Walter Winchell. There were even Motion pictures, in which they both starred as feuding adversaries. But, in reality, they were good friends on and off stage. Both of them benefitted by the publicity. Bernie's band was seen on film starting with 1935's 'Stolen Harmony'. Perhaps his best film was 1937's 'Wake Up and Live' which, in addition to the title song, gave the world the hit "There's A Lull In My Life".

At one time or another, Bernie's band had vocalist Dinah Shore, Dick Stabile, (sax) and Lou McGarity (t'bone). Bernie once fought to keep his new girl singer, Dinah Shore, on his radio show over the objections of the sponsor who felt she sang too softly. He had to let Dinah go and eventually Eddie Cantor hired Dinah and Cantor got the credit for the discovery of a new star.