THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 9, 1995 TAG: 9507060209
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: John Harper
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
In his book ``The Big Bands,'' author George T. Simon calls the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ``the greatest all-around dance band of them all.''
Buddy Morrow, one of the all-time great trombone players, leads the revived Tommy Dorsey band these days. He brings the band to Nags Head on July 18 as part of The Big Band Preservation Society's summer series.
Hard to argue with Simon's judgment. Dorsey's band could swing with the best of them on tunes like ``Song of India.'' But Dorsey is probably best remembered for his gentle touch with a ballad.
Using a singer by the name of Jack Leonard, Dorsey and the band knocked off such standards as ``For Sentimental Reasons,'' ``Once in a While,'' and - probably the most famous of all Dorsey sides - ``Marie.''
Leonard stayed with Dorsey for five years. Dorsey used a number of replacements - Allan DeWitt and Anita Boyer among them - until 1939, when the most famous of Big Band singers joined the band.
Frank Sinatra was singing with the Harry James Band then. But Sinatra's wife, Nancy, was pregnant at the time, and Sinatra needed more money. Dorsey told his agent to ``get that skinny kid, no matter what it takes.''
Two weeks after the conversation between Dorsey and his agent, Sinatra joined the band. Simon says in his book that ``things were never the same with the band. Sinatra had girls fainting in the aisles.''
Sinatra's lead voice embraced such tunes as ``Everything Happens to Me,'' ``Violets for Your Furs'' and ``This Love of Mine.'' Backing Sinatra on many of the songs were The Pied Pipers, a four-person outfit generally considered one of the greatest vocal groups of all time.
Dorsey, in the meantime, was completely revamping the band. In 1940, legendary drummer Buddy Rich signed on. From that point on, the Dorsey Band became known as ``the battle of the giant egos.''
After coming to blows with Rich, Sinatra left Dorsey in 1942. That same year, Dorsey branched out as a businessman. He put together a complete organization called ``Tommy Dorsey Inc.''
But the music never suffered; in fact, it improved. Dorsey added a full string section of seven violins, two violas, a cello and a harp to his already big band of eight brasses, five saxes, four rhythms and six singers.
From 1940 to 1942, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra was the best big band in all of the land. But by 1944, many of his top players had left. Dorsey became disillusioned with the constant touring required of an orchestra.
Dorsey left the road and joined his old pal Jackie Gleason on his new TV program. After a year with Gleason, Dorsey reconciled with brother Jimmy Dorsey for a series of recordings. The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra also worked the road, although the bookings were lean.
And although the golden age of swing was over, Dorsey, more than most of his contemporaries, worked to keep the spirit alive. He formed a record company devoted to big band music, which recorded many of the stars of the big band era.
But some of the investments went sour, and when his second marriage ended in 1956, Dorsey dipped into a depression. On Nov. 26 of that year, Dorsey was found dead in his home in Greenwich, Conn.
After Dorsey's death, Gleason put on a one-hour television show called ``A Tribute to Tommy Dorsey.'' It was a fantastic affair. Many of the musicians and singers associated with Dorsey showed up to pay their respects to the great trombone player and orchestra leader.
Fellow trombone player Morrow leads the current Dorsey band through faithful renditions of all the classics. This orchestra retains the authentic sound and style of the late Tommy Dorsey.
Morrow knew Dorsey well; the men enjoyed a lengthy friendship.
Morrow has put together a solid touring band, complete with another powerful singer.
``You've got to hear Walt Andrus,'' says Big Band Preservation Society member Estelle Gray of Nags Head. ``He sounds better than Sinatra.'' ILLUSTRATION: Trombone player Buddy Morrow will lead the Tommy Dorsey band
when it comes to Nags Head on July 18.
WHAT & WHERE
What: Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Where: Comfort Inn, Milepost 17 on the Beach Road
When: Tuesday, July 18, 8:30 p.m.
Tickets available: Gray's Department Store in Kitty Hawk and
Duck; Musicana in Nags Head.
For more information: 441-4644
by CNB