Nappy Lamare


Joseph Hilton "Nappy" Lamare was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and vocalist.

Music career

Lamare was born in New Orleans. He got his nickname from his friend, Eddie Miller, because he had curly hair. He started playing trumpet, then dropped it for banjo when he was thirteen. Weeks later, he was a member of the Midnight Serenaders. In his teens he worked with Sharkey Bonano, Monk Hazel, and Johnny Wiggs and in 1925 toured in California with Johnny Bayersdorffer. He recorded for the first time two years later with the New Orleans Owls.
He moved to New York City, playing mostly guitar instead of banjo. He became of a member of the Ben Pollack orchestra and sang on "Two Tickets to Georgia". After Pollack left, Bob Crosby took over the orchestra in 1934, and Lamare remained with him until about 1942, performing in records and films, sometimes as a vocalist. After the orchestra dissolved again, he moved to California and spent the rest of his career playing Dixieland as leader of the Louisiana Levee Loungers, then the Straw Hat Strutters in the 1940s and 1950s. The Strutters appeared in the movie Hollywood Rhythm and on the weekly TV variety show Dixie Showboat. While heading the Riverboat Dandies, he injured his pinky finger and played bass guitar for five years until his finger healed.
The latter part of his career he spent in reunions with Bob Crosby, performing at Disneyland, and touring with the World's Greatest Jazz Band. He played guitar, banjo, and sang until his death at the age of 82.

Discography

As leader