Tommy Dorsey, Trombone, 1905, Shenandoah, PA
Tommy studied trumpet with his father, a part-time musician, and later switched to the trombone. He first led a band, The Dorsey Novelty Six, with his brother Jimmy. In the early '20s he played with the Scranton Sirens. In the latter part of the decade Tommy played with Jean Goldkette and then Paul Whiteman. He then moved to New York where he was in demand for studio and pit-orchestra work. In 1934 Tommy and Jimmy founded the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. The venture was a success but did not last long due to their being two short-tempered individuals. The next year Tommy formed his own band that quickly became one of the most popular bands of the swing era.The band's music was smooth and had the finest arrangements available. At times the soloists were Buddy Rich, Ziggy Elman, Bunny Berigan, and Yank Lawson. Some of Tommy's hits were "Marie", "Song of India","Opus 1", and "Boogie-Woogie". Dorsey had a wonderful dance band with singers like Frank Sinatra and Jack Leonard. After the big-band era ended in the late '40s,Tommy and Jimmy again formed a band that was fairly successful, mostly in television. Although Tommy recorded, especially in the '20s, with musicians such as Bix Beiderbecke and other major players, he was not a notable jazz soloist. He was vastly admired by other musicians, however, for his technical skill and pure tone. Tommy Dorsey died in 1956.
Billy Strayhorn, Composer, 1915, Dayton, OH
As a youth, Billy received extensive training in music while growing up in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Hillsborough, NC. In 1938 he submitted a composition to Duke Ellington, "Something to Live For". Ellington recorded the chart with Strayhorn at the piano. This was followed by several other compositions and a more than 30 year association between Billy and Duke began. The two men were so well musically attuned to each other that over the years many of their compositions could not be separated. Duke took credit for some tunes that were actually written by Billy. Streyhorn collaborated on more than 200 items in Ellington's repertory, including such standards as Take The A Train, Satin Doll, Lush Life, Passion Flower, Chelsea Bridge, Lotus Blossom, and Blood Count. Billy was a technically fluent pianist, and made many recordings with groups made up of Ellington sidemen. Billy Strayhorn died in 1967.
Keg Johnson, Trombone, 1908, Chicago, IL
