Woody was in a band with Tom Gerun when he first started. Herman then joined a band while attending school called The Isham Jones Band. They broke up and Herman created an orchestra which he called “The Band That Plays The Blues.” This band played for the Decca label and was first serving as a
cover band. His first song recorded was “Wintertime Dreams” on November 6, 1936. “The Band That Played The Blues” ended in 1946.
In 1947, Woody Herman created the Second Herd. They were also known as “The Four Brothers Band.” They performed mainly in New York. In 1974, Herman’s “Young Thundering Herd” performed on Frank Sinatra’s television show The Main Event which was HUGE for the band. This band ended however in 1987 when Woody Herman had passed away.
Woody Herman was an important clarinet player because he was incredible at what he did. He also was a true crowd pleaser and made everyone smile. He was the life of all of his performances and will always be in people’s musical hearts.