BANDLEADER, 83, PUTTING THE SWING BACK IN GLENDALE AREA.

Byline: JOAN HART

Picture a ballroom with over a hundred couples, all dolled up, dancing to an 11-piece orchestra playing the music of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Russ Morgan.

The time period would be the 1930s and '40s when the big bands numbered in the thousands in the United States.

``That's before rock and the Beatles changed the world,'' said Val Grayson, who at age 77 decided to get into the swing of things and bring the era of big bands back to the Glendale area.

``For some reason ballroom dancing has been picking up a lot all over the United States in the last several years,'' Grayson said.

Classes in ballroom dancing are being offered at various community colleges such as Glendale Community College.

But Grayson had a more personal reason for starting his big band.

Grayson, owner of Grayson's Tune Town in Montrose, lost his wife about six years ago. To overcome the loneliness of being without his mate of more than 50 years, he decided to make his lifelong dream come true.

``After my wife died, I organized an 11-piece band,'' Grayson said. ``That was something I always wanted to do. She didn't want me to play because she wanted me home nights.''

At age 83, Grayson has found that the secret to life is to do what you love to do, and he loves playing the saxophone and clarinet.

``I make it no secret to everybody that my band comes first,'' he said.

Today, he and his big band have a mailing list with over a thousand people. The band is booked at least twice a month at places like the Glendale Civic Auditorium, where they will be performing June 30, from 3 to 6:30 p.m.

Admission is $7 and for Val Grayson Dance Club Members, it's $5.