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The Dorsey Brothers

The Dorsey Brothers, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, were influential American musicians and bandleaders who played pivotal roles in the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s. After initially performing together in various orchestras, including that of the Paul Whiteman (known as "The King of Jazz"), they formed their own bands in the late 1930s. Tommy, a virtuoso trombonist, and Jimmy, a talented saxophonist and clarinetist, each led successful ensembles, with Tommy's band renowned for its smooth, polished arrangements and Jimmy’s for its more vibrant, jazz-infused style. While they eventually parted ways professionally, both enjoyed prominent solo careers—Tommy in the big band world and Jimmy in jazz. Despite their separation, the Dorsey Brothers remain iconic figures in the history of American popular music, like their contemporaries Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw.


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Fabulous Dorsey Brothers in Hi-Fi

Fabulous Dorsey Brothers in Hi-Fi

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

When trombonist and bandleader Tommy Dorsey died in November 1956 at his 23-room mansion in Greenwich, Ct., his financial affairs were a mess. Married to his third wife, Janie New, Dorsey passed away several days shy of a court appearance to reply to New's divorce suit. According to the autopsy, Dorsey, 51, had thrown up while he slept, and food lodged in his windpipe and lungs. For whatever reason, Dorsey did not have a will, and he reportedly left only ...

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Obituary

Beverly Roberts Singer with Dorsey Brothers Passes

Beverly Roberts Singer with Dorsey Brothers Passes

Source: Michael Ricci

Beverly Roberts, 95, who co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in the 1936 film “Two Against the World," died July 13 at her home in Laguna Niguel of natural causes, her second cousin Christina Baker said.

Born May 19, 1914, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Roberts became a Warner Bros. contract player in 1935. She made her first film the next year with Al Jolson in the musical “The Singing Kid."

She starred as a female lumberjack in “God's Country and the Woman" in ...

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