Spoiler : Beneke, Tex (birth name was Gordon Lee Beneke) Born in Fort Worth, Texas 2/12/1914; died 5/30/2000 of respiratory arrest at the Assured Horizons rest home in Costa Mesa, California. Beneke began his career in 1935 as a soprano saxophonist, later tenor sax with Ben Young's band, touring Texas and Oklahoma. He became a friend of drummer Gene Krupa, then joined Glenn Miller's Orchestra as a $52.50 a week tenor saxophonist in 1938, later a featured singer with the band and Miller's vocal group, the Modernaires. Two hit Miller tunes that Beneke sang on was Chattanooga Choo Choo and I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo. The Glenn Miller Orchestra won the first Gold Record in history, selling 1.2 million copies of it's 1941 recording of Choo Choo from the motion picture, "Sun Valley Serenade." Miller disbanded his orchestra in 1942 to head the Army Air Force Band, while Beneke sang briefly with Horace Heidt's band, then joined the Navy leading a dance band for the duration of WWII. Glenn Miller was lost over the English Channel in 1944, and following the war, Beneke led Miller's band from 1946 until 1950. Beneke was featured on Glenn Miller radio programs including Chesterfield Time (Sunset Serenade) on CBS and Mutual (1939-1942).