Nappy Lamare

Joseph Hilton "Nappy" Lamare (June 14, 1905, New Orleans – May 8, 1988,Newhall, California) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and vocalist.

Lamare started his musical career in New Orleans, working with performers such as Monk Hazel, Johnny Wiggs, and Sharkey Bonano. In 1925, his childhood friend, drummer Ray Bauduc, invited him to join Johnny Bayersdorffer's band, with which he toured in California. After returning to New Orleans, Lamare played in Chicago, New York and Atlantic City with other bands, eventually returning to New Orleans to join the New Orleans Owls. In 1927, he made his recording debut with Wiggs' band, which was known as "John Hyman's Bayou Stompers".

With jobs in New Orleans becoming scarce, Nappy traveled to New York in search of work there. Bandleader Ben Pollack hired Lamare as his guitarist in September 1930 upon Bauduc's recommendation. The Pollack band broke up in late 1934. In 1935, along with Bauduc, Miller, and other former Pollack band members, Lamare founded the Bob Crosby band, with which he played until late 1942. In addition to his role as rhythm guitarist, Lamare was a frequent vocalist with the Crosby band.

In early 1943, he joined Eddie Miller's band in California. Much of Lamare's subsequent career was in the Los Angeles area, where he led his own small groups. In 1947 he became a partial owner, along with two other ex-Crosby sidemen, saxophonists Doc Rando and Ernani Bernardi, of the night club Club 47 in Studio City, near Los Angeles. In 1948, he played briefly with Jimmy Dorsey's band. During his Club 47 days, Lamare broke the little finger of his left hand, which made it difficult for him to play guitar or banjo. As a result of his injury, he switched to bass guitar for a while.

In 1950 Lamare and his band, the Straw Hat Strutters, had a television show called Dixie Showboat and a five year tour. Following the Straw Hat Strutters, he co-led the Riverboat Dandies with Ray Bauduc. During the 1950s and 1960s, he toured the U.S., and in 1956 the Orient. Injuries from a car accident in 1962 interrupted his career, but he resumed playing with Bauduc and also played with Joe Darensbourg and at Disneyland.

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