's life ended (killing himself after shooting his two sons) has largely overshadowed his earlier musical accomplishments. One of the top trombonists of the 1950s,
's fluid and often-humorous style put him near the top of his field for awhile.
He was a guitarist when he was ten, but switched to trombone as a teenager. After serving in the military,
Rosolino played with the big bands of
Bob Chester,
Glen Gray,
Gene Krupa (1948-1949),
Tony Pastor,
Herbie Fields, and
Georgie Auld. However, all of those experiences were just preludes to his high-profile association with
Stan Kenton (1952-1954), which gave him fame.
Rosolino recorded frequently in Los Angeles as a member of
the Lighthouse All-Stars (1954-1960), a freelancer, and as a studio musician. His song "Blue Daniel" became a jazz standard, and
Rosolino was a popular attraction as a brilliant trombonist and a comical singer. He was with
Supersax for a period in the 1970s.
Rosolino's shocking ending was a surprise to even his closest associates.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi