1935-2024
DEAN OF BIG BAND SCHOLARS
With the greatest sorrow, the Glenn Miller Collections and the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society regret to inform our worldwide community about the recent passing of the legendary Edward F. Polic. Our brilliant and uncompromising colleague and mentor had a profound influence upon anyone and everyone who loves the music of Glenn Miller and, moreover, the big band era and twentieth century American music. Indeed, Ed Polic is synonymous with Glenn Miller. Ed was the indispensable Glenn Miller historian and collector. Among his important works are Sustineo Alas, The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band, vol. I-II. And he played a leading role in the production of the 1972 work Moonlight Serenade, a Bio-Discography of the Glenn Miller civilian band. Without Ed’s guidance and attention to accuracy and detail, the landmark “Glenn Miller Declassified” would not have been possible. George T. Simon characterized Ed as “the essential Glenn Miller historian.”
ESSENTIAL HISTORIAN
Ed’s guidance has been and will always be fundamental to the GMC and GMBS. He has been there every step of the way in our development and shared responsibility for preservation, communication and presentation. We will lovingly and forever preserve Ed’s legacy alongside that of Glenn Miller and all of Ed’s friends and colleagues, including Steve Miller, Alan Cass, Eric Hamilton, Dick March, Paul Tanner, Norm Leyden, Ray McKinley and so many, many more. And we will faithfully honor his wish that his legacy will also be developed and available as a leading global resource for research and scholarship. Ed is an honored member of the Glenn Miller Collections Hall of Fame and was a Lifetime Founding Member of the GMBS. He had been there from the beginning as a founder. Without him, neither the archives or society would exist.
As Ed wished, his family has privately honored his passing and wishes to thank Ed’s friends around the world for decades of warm memories. At this time, I respectfully ask that everyone please respect his family’s wish for privacy. They will be reaching out to Ed’s network of fond acquaintances shortly. We will all celebrate Ed’s life and achievements at the 2024 Glenn Miller Birthplace Festival in Clarinda, Iowa. Thank you, best friend, and Godspeed on your journey.