Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman (1909-1986) was an American clarinetist, bandleader, and composer, known as "The King of Swing." He is considered one of the most important figures in jazz and one of the main people responsible for the popularization of swing in the 1930s and 1940s.

Goodman began his career as a clarinetist in jazz orchestras and quickly became noted for his virtuosity and technique. His band, the Benny Goodman Orchestra, was one of the most successful of the swing era and became one of the first jazz orchestras to play at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall in 1938, marking a milestone in the acceptance of jazz as a respectable form of music.

In addition to his skill as a musician, Goodman was a pioneer in racial integration in music, by including African-American musicians in his band, which was an important step in the fight for civil rights in the United States. His legacy lives on as one of jazz's great innovators and a key figure in the history of swing.