List of American big band bandleaders

See Big band

A

*Irving Aaronson (1895–1963)
*Louis Armstrong (1901–1971) (Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra, 1928–1947)
*Toshiko Akiyoshi (born 1929)

B

*Count Basie (1904–1984) (Count Basie Orchestra, 1934–1984)
*Denver Bierman (born 1977) (Denver & the Mile High Orchestra– [http://www.denvermho.com] , 2001–)
*Carla Bley (born 1938)Bunny Berrigan

C

*Cab Calloway (1907–1994) (Cab Calloway Orchestra)
*Harry Connick, Jr. (born 1967) [http://www.HarryConnickJr.com]
*Del Courtney (1910–2006)

D

*Tommy Dorsey (1905–1956) (Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (1928–1956), Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (1935–1956)
*Jimmy Dorsey (1904–1957) (Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (1928–1956), Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra)
*Eddy Duchin (1909–1951) (Eddy Duchin and His Orchestra)

E

*Duke Ellington (1899–1974) (Duke Ellington Orchestra)
*Ziggy Elman (Ziggy Elman and His Orchestra)
*Gil Evans (1912–1988)

F

*Maynard Ferguson (1928–2006)
*Shep Fields (1910–1981) (Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm}
*Bob Florence (the Limited Edition)

G

*Jan Garber (1897–1977) (Jan Garber Orchestra)
*Benny Goodman (1909–1986) (Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, 1932–1952)
*Gordon Goodwin (Big Phat Band)
*Bruce A. Greenwald (Audubon Jazz Explosion)
*George Gee (bandleader)

H

*Henry Halstead (1897–1984)
*Erskine Hawkins (1914–1993)
*Fletcher Henderson (1897–1952)
*Woody Herman (1913–1987)
*Lloyd Hunter (died 1961)

J

*Harry James (1916–1983)
*Galen Jeter
*Isham Jones (1894–1956)
*Quincy Jones (born 1933)
*Thad Jones (1923–1986)
*Louis Jordan (1908–1975)

K

*Sammy Kaye (1910–1987)
*Ryan Keberle (Jazz Band Classic)
*Stan Kenton (1911–1979)
*Wayne King (1901–1985)
*Tom Kubis
*Kay Kyser (1905–1985)

L

*Mel Lewis (1929–1990)
*Ted Lewis (1890–1971)
*Guy Lombardo (1902–1977)
*Johnny Long (born 1915)
*Jimmie Lunceford (1902–1947)

M

*Rob McConnell (born 1935) (the Boss Brass)
*Gap Mangione (born 1938)
*Frankie Masters (1904–1991)
*Billy May (1916–2004)
*Glenn Miller (1904–1944) (Glenn Miller Orchestra, 1937–1944)
*Lucky Millinder (1900–1966)
*Vaughn Monroe (1911–1973)
*Russ Morgan (1904–1969)

N

*Red Nichols (1905–1965)
*Ray Noble (1903–1978)

O

*Joe "King" Oliver (1885–1938)
*Kid Ory (1886–1973)

P

*Tony Pastor (1907–1969)
*George Paxton
*Fats Pichon (1906–1967)
*Ben Pollack (1903–1971)

R

*Ray Reach (b. 1948)
*Don Redman (1900–1964) (Don Redman Orchestra, 1931–1940)
*Buddy Rich (1917–1987) (Buddy Rich Big Band)
*Nelson Riddle (1921–1985)

*Maria Schneider (born 1960) (Maria Schneider Orchestra)
*Ben Selvin (1898–1980)
*Brian Setzer (born 1959)
*Artie Shaw (1910–2004)
*Tom Smith (born 1957) (Unifour Jazz Ensemble)
*Sun Ra (1914–1993)

T

*Lew Tabackin (born 1940)
*Jack Teagarden (1905–1964) (Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra, 1939–1946)
*Orrin Tucker (born 1911) (Orrin Tucker and his Orchestra)
*Tommy Tucker (Tommy Tucker and his Orchestra)

W

*Fred Waring (1900–1984)
*Chick Webb (1905–1939)
*Ted Weems (1901–1963)
*Lawrence Welk (1903–1992)
*Paul Whiteman (1890–1967)
*Gerald Wilson (born 1918)
*Chris Winans (Jazz Band Classic)
*Anna Mae Winburn (born 1913)

Z

*Si Zentner (1917-2000)