- Benny Goodman: - 1909 - 1986 - first jazz group to play at Carnegie Hall - integrated black and white musicians in the same performance group
- Glenn Miller: - WWII era trombonist - died in a mysterious plane crash - helped popularize jazz in Europe through USO shows during the war
- Billie Holiday: - 1915 - 1959 - unique vocal style w/shifted rhythms & altered melodies - created songs with deeper meanings as a reflection of her inner pain