Goodman made his professional debut in 1921 at the Central Park Theater in Chicago with an imitation of Ted Lewis. After entering Harrison High School in 1922, he played occasionally with the so-called Austin High School Gang (Bud Freeman, Jimmy McPartland, Frank Teschemacher, Dave Tough, and others), who modeled their music after the New Orleans Rhythm Kings; the clarinetist with the Rhythm Kings, Leon Roppolo, was an early influence on Goodman.

father died when Benny was fourteen, Benny began to work locally to support his family. He did this for over two years. In 1925, he began working as the star of Ben Pollack's band (though Goodman barely hid his disregard -- several times he booked recording dates with Pollack's players, but without Pollack). After resigning in 1929, Goodman worked with Red Nichols, as a studio musician, and then leading his own band at Bill Rose Music Hall (where he had a weekly NBC broadcast).

He continued playing through the sixties and the seventies with popularity. People continued to refer to him as the King of Swing, an inspiration to Jazz musicians from the thirties through the eighties. During the Swing Period, if a clarinetist was not playing in "the Goodman Style," he was not playing correctly.

Over the next five years (during which there were several riots at Goodman performances

Some topics in this essay:
Yale University, Charlie Christian, David Goodman, Ben Pollack's, Center Honors, Leon Roppolo, Benny Goodman, King Swing, Music Hall, Kehelah Jacob, king swing, picked clarinet, benny goodman, rhythm kings,