Herb Miller; Led Orchestra Emulating Famed Brother’s

Herb Miller, who led a band emulating that of his late brother, Glenn, in the United States and Europe, has died at his home in London. He was 74 and reportedly awakened with a headache Wednesday morning, said Jonathan Bailey, manager of the London-based Herb Miller Orchestra.

He “fell down and never regained consciousness,” Bailey added.

Herb Miller, the youngest of three Miller brothers, was born in North Platte, Neb., and first became interested in music at the age of 12 when his oldest brother, Deane, bought him a second-hand trumpet.

In the 1930s, Herb went on the road with the Glenn Miller Band as manager.

He later played trumpet in Charlie Spivak’s band, but quit to get his master’s degree at the University of Michigan in 1939. There, he started his own band, which toured the country at the same time Glenn Miller was storming the United States with his popular group.

After the outbreak of World War II, Glenn Miller joined the Army Air Force and was leading a band in England when a plane he was on disappeared on Dec. 15, 1944, on a flight to Paris.

In 1981, Herb Miller came to London and formed a band with his son, John, as lead singer, performing such Glenn Miller favorites as “String of Pearls,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “American Patrol” and “In the Mood.”