Did you know the “King of Swing” Benny Goodman was from Chicago? A master clarinetist and bandleader, Goodman led one of the first racially integrated bands in the U.S. and earned immense popularity.

A son to poor, Jewish immigrants, Goodman grew up in the Maxwell Street neighborhood and was enrolled in free clarinet lessons at the Kehelah Jacob Synagogue. He was tutored by Chicago Symphony Orchestra member Franz Schoepp. He played several venues with a litany of bands, and made his professional debut in 1921 at Central Park Theater.

Goodman is largely credited with starting the swing music era through a three-week engagement at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. Following the shows’ success he would play the Congress Hotel in Chicago for six months, broadcasting nationwide on NBC affiliate stations. Several of these sets included Fletcher Henderson’s band, marking the first racially integrated band to play before a large paying audience in the United States.

Benny Goodman made a massive impact on jazz and music, both in Chicago and across the country.