Legendary trombonist Tommy Dorsey always celebrated his birthday on November 19th, although records in the Pennsylvania county of his birth show that he was actually born eight days later than that in the year 1905. Tommy’s father, a coal miner and amateur cornetist, instilled a love for music in his children and, along with Tommy’s mother Tess, saw a career in music as a way for them to escape a life in the mines. Along with his older brother, reed man Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy did in fact escape and became one of the leading band leaders of the Swing Era.

When Tommy was 15 his family moved to Lansford, Pennsylvania where “Pops” Dorsey became a music teacher and the director of the town band. Both Tommy and Jimmy played in that group and others in the area. In the early 1920s the Dorsey brothers were quite intrigued with the emergence of jazz and were influenced by groups like The Original Dixieland Jazz Band and soon formed their own group called The Wild Canaries. Soon both brothers were hired to play in a band called the Scranton Sirens that travelled to New York City to make records for the Okeh label in 1923. A year later Tommy was playing for Jean Goldkette, one of the most successful of the early big band leaders. In January 1925 Tommy Dorsey played on Bix Beiderbecke’s first recording session as a leader, and two years later they would both be playing in the most successful popular music organization of the era, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.

In the early 1930s both Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey were finding lots of work as studio musicians in New York City. In 1934 they were convinced to start their own big band by Glenn Miller who became the arranger and musical director for the ensemble. Although successful, the band didn’t stay together long as Tommy’s legendary short temper and Jimmy’s drinking pushed the two apart. Eventually, in 1935 Tommy walked off the stage during a gig at the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York and soon the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra became Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra while Tommy went off to form his own group.

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra debuted October 1, 1935 at the French Casino in New York. Over the next year the band was selling records, touring and making regular appearances on radio programs. They were receiving positive reviews from the critics and had several #1 records. Eventually Tommy would create an ensemble within the big band called the Clambake Seven that would play small group jazz. Many bands of the era were classified as “sweet” bands that specialized in romantic ballads, or “hot” bands that played more up-tempo music. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra was equally adept in both areas and one of the most popular groups of the era. Some great musicians passed through the band including Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra.

In the 1940s Tommy would briefly add a string section to his orchestra along with a harpist and dual pianos. Some memorable recordings were made by this larger group, but it became economically unfeasible to continue with that instrumentation. In the 1950s the Dorsey Brothers would reunite to host a television variety program on NBC which gave Elvis Presley his first national exposure.

One of Tommy Dorsey’s lasting legacies is that he proved that the trombone could be a lyrical, melodic instrument and not just be used as a novelty in jazz. Dorsey passed away in his sleep in 1956.

Here is a link to a 1943 performance by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra during the era during which they featured a string section. Also seen is a 28-year-old Buddy Rich on drums:

"WELL GIT IT"