Sonny Dunham took lessons on the valve trombone at the age of 7, changed to the slide trombone at 11, and was playing in local Boston bands from age 13.

In the late 1920s he moved to New York, and played with Ben Bernie for six months before moving on in 1929 to Paul Tremaine’s Orchestra, for two years.

It was while he was working with Tremaine’s Ork, where he also sang and arranged, that he switched to the trumpet.

For a few months in 1931, he led his own group: Sonny Dunham and his New York Yankees.

Then he joined the new Glen Gray Casa Loma Orchestra, staying until 1936 as a featured soloist on hit records including “Memories of You”,  “Ol’ Man River”, “Wild Goose Chase”, “No Name Jive” and “Nagasaki”.

Sonny then formed his 14 piece Sonny Lee and The New Yorkers Band, which featured ten musicians doubling on trumpet.

After that band failed to land bookings, Dunham returned to the Casa Loma Orchestra. He stayed with them till 1940 when on his third try he formed his own successful orchestra

DUNHAM

The Sonny Dunham Orchestra debuted in July 1940 at the Glendale Auditorium, Los Angeles.

It toured the United States playing top venues and holding talent searches along the way.

From early 1941, they were on nightly radio broadcasts from the Roseland Ballroom NYC, and the Meadowbrook at Cedar Grove, New Jersey, and the Hollywood Palladium.

They featured in the Universal picture Behind the Eight Ball with the Ritz Brothers on which Dunham was musical director.

Behind the Eight Ball was a comedy.

The storyline: The shooting and murder of two guest stars at the Shady Ridge Summer Theatre, operated by Joan Barry, threatens to close the musical “Fun For All.” To bolster the show, Joan induces Bill Edwards, who shares joint ownership with her, of the farm the theatre is located on, and Sheriff McKenzie, to hire the Jolly Jesters. They steal the show and, along the way, uncover a spy ring and a bullet-shooting clarinet.

The Sonny Dunham Orchestra then appeared in the Universal film shorts Jive Busters and, Jivin’ Jam Session.

In Jivin’ Jam Session, Sonny Dunham and his Orchestra are seen rehearsing for a new musical featurette. Songs include “Don’t Go West Young Man” by and sung by Jimmie Dodd; “Memories of You” by Andy Razaf, Eubie Blake; “Nothing” sung by Harriett Clark; “From One Love to Another” by Albert Gamser, Ernesto Lecuona; “I Never Knew” by Tom Pitts, Raymond B. Egan and Roy J. Marsh; “Lunceford Special”. The entertainment is completed with acrobatics and tap dancing from Louis Da Pron, Harriet Clark, The Three Comets and Ray Kellogg.

In Jive Busters, Paul Carley with the Sonny Dunham Orchestra sings Don’t Blame Me. He then duets with Carolyn Grey on Honey, backed by the Orchestra

Busy until 1947, Sonny Dunham had few appearances between 1947 and 1950.

He almost quit the business after a contract dispute in 1949. But the year he also featured with his orchestra in the Universal short, Rhythm Masters, along with band leaders Jack Teagarden, Henry Busse, Stan Kenton, Frankie Masters, Harry Owens, and Louis Prima

In 1950, Dunham lead a new orchestra playing at the Rustic Cabin in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

He disbanded that orchestra in 1951 and joined Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra as trumpet player, replacing Ray Wetzel, who had died in an automobile accident a few weeks earlier.

Dunham re-formed his own orchestra in 1952 and toured until the decline of the big bands by 1960.

In the 1970s, Sonny Dunham played trombone on Don Goldie’s Dixieland LPs.

Into the 1980s he was living in a trailer in Miami, Florida, booking bands for cruises and playing occasionally.