A gifted trumpeter, composer, and orchestra leader, Erskine Hawkins was one of the true luminaries of the swing era. A native Alabaman, Hawkins took over the 'Bama State Collegians jazz band and moved the unit to New York City in search of stardom. The newly minted Erskine Hawkins Orchestra began recording in the late '30s and by 1940, the "20th Century Gabriel" had a smash hit with "Tuxedo Junction," his most famous composition. While the band featured many of the era's best instrumentalists--including pianist Avery Parrish, trumpeter Dub Bascomb, and baritone sax player Haywood Henry--they downsized with the end of the swing era. Hawkins led smaller versions of his orchestra through the '80s until his death in 1993 of heart failure.