The Dorsey Brothers

The Dorsey Brothers were a studio group fronted by musicians Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. They started recording under their name in 1928 with a series of studio recordings for the OKeh label (they had come to New York in the mid-1920s and were among the most sought-after musicians). Always just a studio group, members (during the 1928-1934 period) included nearly all of the great white jazz musicians playing around New York City:

• Carl Kress (guitar)
• Chauney Morehouse (drums)
• Adrian Rollini (bass sax)
• Joe Tarto (brass bass)
• Manny Klein (trumpet)
• Arthur Schutt (piano)
• Jack Teagarden (trombone)
• Frank Shoemacher (clarinet, tenor sax)
• Frank Signorelli (piano)
• Stan King (drums)
• Phil Napoleon (trumpet)
• Eddie Lang (guitar)
• Bing Crosby (vocal)
• Glenn Miller (trombone)
• Leon Mcconville (trumpet)
• Bunny Berigan (trumpet)
• Artie Bernstein (slap bass)
• Joe Venuti (violin)
• Fulton McGrath (piano)
• Dick McDonough (guitar)
• Mildred Bailey (vocals)
• Johnny Mercer (vocals)

As a studio recording group, they recorded for;

• OKeh 1928-1930
• Melotone 1931
• Columbia 1931
• Brunswick 1932-1934

They also did a few sides for the dime store labels (Banner, Cameo, Domino, Jewel, Oriole, Perfect, etc.) and also a handful of sides during their Brunswick period were issued on Vocalion.

They signed to Decca Records in 1934, basically formed a more traditional regular band, and even started performing live until they had their famous falling out in September, 1935. Glenn Miller composed two songs for the Dorsey Brothers Band when he was a member in 1934 and 1935, "Annie's Cousin Fanny" and "Dese Dem Dose".

In 1935, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra had two no.1 recordings on Decca Records, "Lullaby of Broadway" with Bob Crosby on vocals, no.1 for two weeks, and "Chasing Shadows", no.1 for three weeks. Tommy Dorsey would have seventeen number one hits while Jimmy Dorsey would have ten after they formed their own orchestras in 1935.

Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey broke up the Dorsey Brothers' Orchestra in 1935 but reunited on March 15, 1945 to record a V-Disc at Liederkranz Hall in New York City. Released in June, 1945, V-Disc 451 featured "More Than You Know" backed with "Brotherly Jump". The songs featured the combined orchestras of Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. They reunited again in 1947 to film the biopic The Fabulous Dorseys in which they played themselves. In the 1950s, they had their own network TV series. Elvis Presley made his national television debut on their show in 1956.

In 1996, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative Jimmy Dorsey and Tommy Dorsey postage stamp.

(See Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey's individual listings for more details).

External links

• The Dorsey Brothers at Allmusic