On This Day

Tommy Dorsey

Musician

Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombone playing. His theme song was "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". His technical skill on the trombone gave him renown among other musicians. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey. After Dorsey broke with his brother in the mid-1930s, he led an extremely successful band from the late 1930s into the 1950s. He is best remembered for standards such as "Opus One", "This Love of Mine" (no. 3 in 1941) featuring Frank Sinatra on vocals, "Song of India", "Marie", "On Treasure Island", and his biggest hit single, "I'll Never Smile Again" (no. 1 for 12 weeks in 1940).

Notable For

American jazz trombonist and bandleader

Tommy Dorsey's Historical Timeline

  1. Tommy Dorsey is born

    Tommy Dorsey musician, known for american jazz trombonist and bandleader, was born on 1905-11-19. Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr.

  2. Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinat

    Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinatra, is ranked #1

Associated Historical Events

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Tommy Dorsey born?
Tommy Dorsey was born on 1905-11-19.
What is Tommy Dorsey known for?
American jazz trombonist and bandleader
What historical events involved Tommy Dorsey?
Tommy Dorsey was involved in 2 recorded historical events, including Tommy Dorsey is born, Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinat.
When did Tommy Dorsey die?
Tommy Dorsey died on 1956-01-01.

Related Years