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Herman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a child Herman worked as a singer in vaudeville, then became a professional saxophone player at age 15. When Isham Jones's band, of which he had been a member, broke up in 1936, he formed his own band, the Woody Herman Orchestra, with some of the other members. This band became known for its orchestrations of the blues and were sometimes billed as "The Band That Plays The Blues". Chief among the more than 50 hits recorded by this band were "Woodchoppers' Ball," "Blue Flame," and "Blues in the Night."

In 1943 Woody Herman renamed the band Woody Herman and his Herd. This band's music was heavily influenced by Duke Ellington. Its lively, swinging arrangements combining bopBebop or bop is a form of jazz which uses a fast tempo and complex improvisational techniques. It was developed in the early and mid- 1940s. Hard bop later developed from bebop combined with blues and gospel music. History Many big band musicians in New Y themes with swing rhythm parts were greatly admired; Igor StravinskyIgor Fyodorovitch Stravinsky ( June 17, 1882 April 6, 1971) was a composer of modern classical music. He wrote works in the neo-classical and serialist styles, but he is best known for two works from his earlier, Russian period: The Rite of Spring and The wrote "Ebony Concerto" for this band. Other pieces for which the band was known include "Caldonia" and "Northwest Passage."

Herman disbanded the Herd in 1946 so he could spend more time with his wife, but in 1947 organized the Second Herd. This band featured a cooler sound, provided by musicians such as Stan GetzStanley Getz better known as Stan Getz ( February 2, 1927 June 6, 1991) was a jazz musician. He is considered one of the greatest tenor saxophone players of all time, well known for his instantly recognizable warm tone as displayed in his version of the s, Zoot SimsJohn Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz musician. Born on October 29, 1925 in Inglewood, California, Zoot’s family was involved in vaudeville, for his part, Zoot learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age. Sims developed into an innovativ, Serge ChaloffSerge Chaloff ( 1923 1957) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. He is one of the few major jazz performers on this instrument, and the first major bop performer. He was originally influenced by Charlie Parker. He first became well known as one of th, Gene AmmonsEugene "Jug" Ammons ( April 14, 1925 1974) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player, and the son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons. He was a member of the Billy Eckstine and Woody Herman bands in the mid to late 1940s, and then in 1950 formed a du, Clark TerryClark Terry (born December 14, 1920) is an American swing and bop trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He began his professional career in St. Louis, Missouri in the early 1940s. After playing in a U. Navy band during World War II he played with Charlie Barne, Lou Levy , Oscar Pettiford, Terry Gibbs , Shelly Manne, and Herbie Steward . Among this band's hits were "Early Autumn," "The Goof and I," and " Four Brothers" (this band was also known as the Four Brothers band).

His many later bands included the Third Herd and the New Thundering Herd. He was known for hiring the best young musicians and using their arrangements. His band's book consequently came to be heavily influenced by rock and roll.

He continued to perform into the 1980s, chiefly because of tax problems created by a band manager in the 1960s. When he became ill and was forced to give up the band, the Internal Revenue Service seized his assets, including his home.