Woodrow Charles Herman

7.7

An American jazz musician and bandleader who led a famous big band

proper noun

: Woody Herman

Woodrow Charles Herman was celebrated for his innovative approach to jazz and his leadership of The Herd big band.

Examples

The legendary jazz musician Woodrow Charles Herman changed the face of big band music.
Many musicians started their careers under the direction of Woodrow Charles Herman.
The influence of Woodrow Charles Herman can still be recognized in modern jazz orchestras.
Woodrow Charles Herman was known for his innovative arrangements.
Woodrow Charles Herman was celebrated for his innovative approach to jazz and his leadership of The Herd big band.
Many musicians started their careers under the direction of Woodrow Charles Herman.
The influence of Woodrow Charles Herman can still be recognized in modern jazz orchestras.

Surface Forms

Woodrow Charles Herman main

Morphology

Woodrow + Charles + Herman

This is a personal name (a proper noun) rather than a compositional phrase; the identity ‘United States jazz musician and bandleader’ cannot be derived from the constituent name parts. Proper names are referential and largely arbitrary across languages, so even a learner who knows the individual name-words would not be able to infer the person’s profession or biographical details.

Etymology

Woodrow Charles Herman is often called Woody and he led a famous band called The Herd. Picture a friendly leader guiding a herd of animals — that simple image helps you remember he was a jazz musician and 'bandleader'.