CU Boulder to begin exploring 1,400 boxes of the Glenn Miller archive

Apr. 29—The University of Colorado Boulder announced it will begin unlocking the Glenn Miller archive — a collection of about 1,400 boxes — after receiving donor support for the archival project.

A national search for an archivist to lead the project is underway. Once hired, the archivist will spend two years assembling, cataloging and preserving the collection. Glenn Miller is a notable CU Boulder alum who attended the university for three semesters before becoming one of the most successful big band musicians of the 20th century.

"The personal papers, photographs, music and other ephemera of the legendary Glenn Miller sheds light on the man behind the music and opens an extensive new collection of research for all to study and enjoy," Kate Tallman, interim faculty director of CU Boulder's Rare and Distinctive Collections, said in a release. "Access to primary source materials enables researchers to analyze musical trends and uncover narratives that contribute to a deeper understanding of this music and era."

Donors Deanna and Brewster Waddell supported the archival effort.

"Glenn Miller was one of, if not the greatest big band leader of his time," Brewster Waddell said in a release. "CU Boulder has a very well-respected College of Music, so we thought we'd like to sponsor a jazz program that would bring visibility to CU."

Until now, CU Boulder didn't have the resources to fully explore the archive. Alan Cass, a stage manager at CU Boulder's Macky Auditorium and sports announcer for the Broncos and CU football and basketball games, started the Glenn Miller collection in the 1970s. He was responsible for most of the collecting and housed the boxes in the basement of Macky before they were moved to Norlin Library in 2013.

The collection includes jazz, big band and swing music memorabilia and research materials. Glenn Miller wrote music for and played with the top band leaders of his time, including other American jazz icons like the Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman and Harry James.

"Glenn Miller's story is more than a musical story," Austin Okigbo, interim director of CU Boulder's American Music Research Center, said in a release. "His is also the American story when examined within the broader context of his ambition to shape the sound of quintessentially American musical genres, including jazz, swing and big band, as well as his role in the war efforts during World War II."

Those with questions about the collection can email rad@colorado.edu.