LaVere, Charlie (Johnson, Charles La-Vere)

LaVere, Charlie (Johnson, Charles La-Vere), jazz pianist, leader, singer, songwriter; b. Salina, Kans., July 18, 1910; d. April 28, 1983. LaVere began playing piano from the age of seven, and began his professional career with a cousin, Stan Weis, as “Dan and Stan.” He moved to Okla. City to attend college, and played alto sax (with Charlie Teagarden) in Herb Cook’s Oklahoma Joy Boys. He left Okla. with Frank Williams and his Oklahomans, and was stranded in N.Y. at the end of the tour, ca. 1931. He subsequently toured with various groups, ending up in Chicago in 1933 working with Wingy Manone; he also recorded with Jack Teagarden at this time. After touring Tex. with Eddie Neibauer, he led his own all-star recording group in Chicago in 1935, which featured Jabbo Smith, Zutty Singleton, Joe Marsala, and Boyce Brown. In 1937, he moved to N.Y. and joined Paul Whiteman’s Orch. until early 1938, when he relocated to L.A. He began a long career of working on radio and in studios, including regularly accompanying Bing Crosby on broadcasts until 1947. He had a million-seller record as vocalist with Gordon Jenkins in 1947, “Maybe You’ll Be There.” Through the late 1940s and 1950s, he led a Dixieland sextet with various personnel. From 1955-59, he played for the Golden Horse Shoe Revue at Disneyland. After a brief stint in N.Y. towards the end of 1960, he moved to Las Vegas (1961–63), playing solo residencies, and also worked with Bob Crosby (late 1961 to early 1962) and with Wingy Manone (spring 1963). He returned to Southern Calif, in June 1963, for solo spots, theatre work, and a spell with Jack Coon, and also played on two cruises to Australia. He arranged and played for Russ Morgan in Las Vegas (1967), and then returned to Southern Calif, where he continued to play regularly through the 1970s, and also ran a piano-repair and tuning service. His compositions include: “The Blues Have Got Me” and “Cuban Boogie Woogie,” among other pop numbers.

—John Chilton, Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter