In 1917 Tommy Ladnier (May 28, 1900 – June 4, 1939) moved north to Chicago from New Orleans, and found work in a touring band. In 1921 he moved to St. Louis to work with Charlie Creath and Fate Marable. He returned to Chicago to play with King Oliver.

In 1925 Ladnier sailed to Europe with the Sam Wooding Orchestra. In 1926 he returned to New York and then became the hot trumpet soloist with the Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra. He returned to Europe with Wooding in 1928 and worked with Benny Peyton and the Noble Sissle Orchestra in 1930.

In 1932 Ladnier recorded and played live with Sidney Bechet as the New Orleans Feetwarmers but as work dried up during the Depression the duo opened the Southern Tailor shop from 1933 to 1934 in New York, but it didn’t work out. Ladnier dropped out of sight for a few years, but was rediscovered in 1938 by French Jazz critic Hughes Panassie. He recorded the “Panassie Sessions” with Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow but died suddenly in 1939 from a heart attack.