Dorsey, William Henry "Billy"

William Henry "Billy" Dorsey was born October 5, 1878 in Louisville, KY, where he received his musical training. He was a bandleader and music arranger in vaudeville performances, most notably in Chicago.

In 1915, Dorsey traveled to England with a troupe that included his wife Lizzie; they remained there for four years, then returned to the U.S. because of health problems, settling in Arizona. William Henry Dorsey died February 29, 1920 from tuberculosis. He was the son of Daniel and Celia Dorsey [source: 1880 U.S. Federal Census].

For more see William "Billy" Dorsey in Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians, by E. Southern.