Sonny Lee

Thomas Ball "Sonny" Lee (August 26, 1904, Huntsville, Texas – May 17, 1975, Amarillo, Texas) was an American jazz trombonist.

Lee played with Peck Kelley while a student at Texas State Teachers' College in the early 1920s, then moved to St. Louis, where he worked with the Scranton Sirens, Frankie Trumbauer, Gene Rodemich, Vincent Lopez, and Paul Specht. In 1932 he joined the Isham Jones orchestra, remaining with Jones until 1936; concomitantly he also played with Benny Goodman in 1934-35. He then worked with Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, and Bunny Berigan, and in 1938 joined Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra, where he played until 1946.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 26, 1904 (Huntsville), Died May 17, 1975 (Amarillo)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1935 - 1946

Roles Represented in DAHR: trombone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 313 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-011673 10-in. 8/7/1937 Let 'er go Bunny Berigan Orchestra ; Gail Reese Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor BS-011674 10-in. 8/7/1937 Turn on that red hot heat (Burn your blues away) Bunny Berigan Orchestra ; Gail Reese Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor CS-011675 12-in. 8/7/1937 I can't get started Bunny Berigan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor CS-011676 12-in. 8/7/1937 The prisoner's song Bunny Berigan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60124 10-in. 10/30/1935 Don't mention love to me Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60125 10-in. 10/30/1935 If I should lose you Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60126 10-in. 10/30/1935 Darling Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60127 10-in. 10/30/1935 Thunder over paradise Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60928 10-in. 3/25/1936 Home cookin' Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60929 10-in. 3/25/1936 I've had the blues so long Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60930 10-in. 3/25/1936 Slappin' the bass Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60931 10-in. 3/25/1936 Nola Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60962 10-in. 3/31/1936 Hollow hole in the ground Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60963 10-in. 3/31/1936 Take it easy Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60964 10-in. 3/31/1936 Fan it Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 60965 10-in. 3/31/1936 Tormented Isham Jones' Juniors instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63429 10-in. 3/15/1938 Two bouquets Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63430 10-in. 3/15/1938 I can't face the music (without singing the blues) Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63431 10-in. 3/16/1938 Joseph! Joseph! Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63432 10-in. 3/16/1938 At a perfume counter Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63433 10-in. 3/16/1938 It's the dreamer in me Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63434 10-in. 3/16/1938 Don't be that way Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63435 10-in. 3/16/1938 Love walked in Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63436 10-in. 3/16/1938 The weekend of a private secretary Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 63496 10-in. 3/29/1938 Lost and found Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
(Results 1-25 of 313 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lee, Sonny," accessed March 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100138.

Lee, Sonny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100138.

"Lee, Sonny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100138

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