It tells the story of the brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, from their boyhood in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania through their rise, their breakup, and their personal reunion.

Circa 1913, in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Thomas Dorsey, Sr, a coal miner, moonlights as a music teacher.

Initially, the boys are unenthusiastic, resentful of long hours of practice and the father’s strict discipline when they gripe.

At their first engagement, the band plays the Turkey Trot, to which the patrons dance and applaud politely, but the bar owner is unimpressed.

When the band begins a waltz, Tommy, on trombone, starts to improvise on swing tempo, and Jimmy joins in on the sax.

In the early 1920s, the boys, with Jane Howard as their singer, are touring with their own band, the Wild Canaries, struggling to meet their expenses while performing intermittent one-night engagements.

To replace him, Jimmy and Tommy enlist the piano player at the local movie theater, Robert Burton, who plays background music for silent films.

Their agent sends a telegram that their Jefferson City engagement is cancelled and they have no further bookings, but they have received an offer to join the Paul Whiteman band.

They are offered $50 to participate in a radio experiment putting a live orchestra on the air to test reception over 50 to 60 miles.

During the early days of radio in New York, Tommy and Jimmy play for a while with the prestigious Paul Whiteman band.

Other actors include Janet Blair, William Lundigan, Sara Allgood and Arthur Shields.

There are also cameo appearances by other jazz musicians of the period: Paul Whiteman, Charlie Barnet, Henry Busse, Bob Eberly, Helen O'Connell and Art Tatum.

[3] Pianist Tatum "is shown playing in a night club with the piano surrounded by the Dorsey brothers and other well-known musicians, who finally join him in an ensemble blues.

"Green Eyes", "Tangerine", "I'll Never Smile Again", "Marie", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" are also featured in the movie, along with "To Me" and "Dorsey Concerto".