by William Ruhlmann & Bruce Eder Jimmy Dorsey was both an accomplished reed player, specializing in alto saxophone and clarinet, and one of the top bandleaders of the swing era. In the early and late periods of his career, he co-led bands with his younger brother Tommy; in between, he scored a series of Latin-tinged hits that established his orchestra as one of the most successful recording and performing units of the early 40s. And despite some lean years in the late 40s and the first half of the 50s, he managed to score a major pop hit during the final weeks of his life.The first son of Thomas Francis Dorsey, Sr., a music teacher and marching band director, and Theresa Langton Dorsey, Dorsey received early music instruction from his father; by the age of seven, he was playing cornet in his fathers band. Switching to trumpet, he made his professional debut at nine when he appeared with J. Carson McGees King Trumpeters in New York in Septembe...