Trummy Young born 12 February 1912

James "Trummy" Young (January 12, 1912 – September 10, 1984) was an American trombonist in the swing era. 

Young was born in Savannah, Georgia, growing up in Richmond, Virginia, and Washington D.C. (He started off as a child playing trumpet and drums but, by the time he started working as a professional in 1928, he was a trombonist. His early gigs including working with Booker Coleman’s Hot Chocolates, the Hardy Brothers, Elmer Calloway, and Tommy Myles. While with Myles, he acquired the lifelong nickname of Trummy. 

From 1933 to 1937, he was a member of Earl Hines' orchestra; he then joined Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra in which he played from 1937 to 1943, scoring a hit on Decca Records with "Margie", which featured his vocal. With Sy Oliver he co-wrote "'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)", a hit for both Lunceford and Ella Fitzgerald in 1939. His other compositions include "Easy Does It" (1939; co-written with Oliver) and "Trav'lin' Light" (1942; co-written with Jimmy Mundy, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer). 

                                   

Bebop caused no difficulty for Young even though he did not alter his style much through the years. On Jan. 9, 1945, Young appeared with Gillespie on the original version of “Salt Peanuts,” plus “Be-Bop,” a modernistic transformation of “I Can’t Get Started,” and Tadd Dameron’s “Good Bait,” sounding quite at home. That year Young really displayed his versatility. He was part of Boyd Raeburn’s orchestra on “A Night In Tunisia,” was a member of the Benny Goodman big band (including soloing on “Gotta Be This Or That”), recorded with ensembles led by Georgie Auld, Johnny Bothwell, and Al Killian, was on V-Disc dates that teamed him with Roy Eldridge, and led his own swing session. 

1946 found him recording with Benny Carter’s big band, clarinetist Tony Scott, Buck Clayton, Illinois Jacquet, Tiny Grimes, a reunion session with Jimmie Lunceford (including a remake of “Margie”), Billy Kyle, and two sessions of his own. In addition, Young toured with Norman Granz’s Jazz At The Philharmonic, working alongside Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Coleman Hawkins, and Buddy Rich. 

Clearly Trummy Young was in great demand during this era. In 1947 he toured again with JATP and was on some Los Angeles jam session records. But after a record date with Gerald Wilson’s big band, he was off records altogether for five years. Young’s disappearance was because he had gotten married, his wife was from Hawaii, and he moved there. The trombonist freelanced and soon had his own band, playing swing and Dixieland while enjoying the climate and environment. But then his life changed again in 1952 when he was offered an opportunity to join the Louis Armstrong All-Stars, and stayed for twelve years. He performed with Armstrong for the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. 

During his years with the All-Stars, Young performed in the musical film, High Society (1956). He appeared in the Universal-International biopic, The Glenn Miller Story (1954) and constantly traveled the world. He was part of nearly all of Louis Armstrong’s triumphs during that long period including the W.C. Handy and Fats Waller tribute albums, performing “St. Louis Blues” with the New York Philharmonic, all of the “Ambassador Satch” world tours, Armstrong’s “Musical Biography” recordings, the Timex All Star Jazz television specials, the album that had Duke Ellington with the All-Stars, Dave Brubeck’s musical The Real Ambassadors, and the original versions of both “Mack The Knife” and “Hello Dolly.” 

Trummy Young was not heard outside of the Louis Armstrong All-Stars very often but there were a few exceptions. He was a major part of the famous Buck Clayton Jam Session records of Mar. 31, and Aug. 13, 1954, playing a roaring solo on “How Hi The Fi” that stole the show. He was on a posthumous Jimmie Lunceford tribute project led by Billy May in 1957, an album by the Lawson-Haggart Band (Boppin’ At The Hop), and played with Teddy Buckner at the 1958 Dixieland Jubilee in Los Angeles. But mostly he was associated with Armstrong. 

Shortly after “Hello Dolly” caught on, the 52-year old trombonist decided to finally quit the road and settle back in Hawaii. Louis Armstrong was very sorry to see him go. During his final 20 years, Young worked with a variety of bands in Hawaii, sometimes led his own groups, and occasionally went on European tours (including with Chris Barber in 1978) and returned to the mainland for special appearances and jazz parties. 

Sally & Trummy Young, Lillian Taylor, Sep.1984

Trummy Young remained active up until the very end. He was featured next to Billy Butterfield, Kenny Davern, and Eddie Miller at the Peninsula Jazz Party in July 1984. Two months later, on Sept. 12, he died suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage in San Jose, California, at the age of 72. Beloved by all, the always-smiling Trummy Young had succeeded in carving out his own place in jazz history.

(Edited from The Sycopated Times & Wikipedia)