Benjamin (Benny) Goodman was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader who was known as the "King of Swing". Goodman, the ninth of 12 children, was born in Chicago to poor Jewish emigrants from the Russian Empire. He would later say, “Playing music was a great escape for me from the poverty." In the mid-1930s, Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in the United States. His concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on January 16th, 1938 is described by critics as "the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz's 'coming out' party to the world of 'respectable' music." Goodman's bands started the careers of several jazz musicians, including Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson. During an era of racial segregation, he led one of the first integrated jazz groups. His signature songs include, “Sing Sing Sing” and “Stompin' at the Savoy”. Goodman died on June 13th, 1986 at the age of 77.