Los Angeles, CA -- Making it in the cut-throat music biz can be a drag enough, but imagine doing it while undergoing a sex change process.

Well, that's what one transgender jazzbo is dealing with, but she's getting by pretty well -- with a little help from her friends.

Jennifer Leitham, the string bassist for jazz great Doc Severinsen, used to be Johnny Leitham. She came out as a crossdresser last year, and since then she has begun the long and physically strenuous process of changing from Johnny to Jenny.

Leitham, who's also played with Mel Torme, says she wouldn't have been able to be so successful at juggling sizzling solos and swinging hormones without Severinsen's open-minded support.

However Leitham, who is getting ready to embark as a solo artist for this year's Spring jazz festival season, admits her friends still slip up and refer to her as "he" or "John."

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