Born on December 15, 1911 in Wichita, Kansas, Stan Kenton was raised in Colorado as a child when he began playing piano and later during his high school years in California. He came up during the 1930s playing in the dance bands of Vido Musso and Gus Arnheim. By 1941, Kenton formed his first orchestra, which he patterned after Jimmie Lunceford's band. By late 1943, Kenton had experienced some success on the strength of his popular Capitol recording, "Eager Beaver." During the war years, principal soloists in the Kenton band included saxophonists Art Pepper, Stan Getz, and Boots Mussulli and the featured singer was Anita O'Day. By 1945 the band continued evolving and gaining a larger following with June Christ as the singer. Pete Rugolo became the chief arranger (extending Kenton's ideas), Bob Cooper and Vido Musso offered very different tenor styles, and June Christy was Kenton's new singer; her popular hits (including "Tampico" and "Across the Alley From the Alamo") made it possible for Kenton to finance his more ambitious projects. By 1947, Kenton's band took a more progressive path with the input of modern jazz trombonist Kai Winding, trumpeters Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, and Al Porcino, and Latin percussionist Jack Costanzo.
In 1950, Kenton assembled his 39-piece Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra that included 16 strings, a woodwind section, and two French horns along with star soloists like trumpeters Maynard Ferguson and Shorty Rogers, saxophonists Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Bob Cooper, guitarist Laurindo Almeida and drummer Shelly Manne. Following two tours in 1950-1951, he reverted to his usual 19-piece lineup and began performing the charts of such accomplished arrangers as Marty Paich, Johnny Richards, Bill Holman, and Bill Russo. The ranks of players during this time included alto saxophonists Lee Konitz, Richie Kamuca, Zoot Sims, Sam Noto, Bill Perkins, and Charlie Mariano, trumpeters Conte Candoli and Jack Sheldon, trombonists Frank Rosolino and Carl Fontana, baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, guitarist Sal Salvador, and drummer Mel Lewis.
Kenton's mellophonium band of 1960-1963 was another successful experiment and 1964's Kenton Plays Wagner was one of the more ambitious projects during the latter years of his career. He continued leading his big band up until his final performance in August, 1979, a weak before he suffered a stroke while on tour. She died shortly thereafter at age 67 on August 25, 1979.