Yank Lawson
Encyclopedia
John Rhea "Yank" Lawson (May 3, 1911, Trenton, Missouri
– February 18, 1995, Indianapolis, Indiana
) was a jazz trumpeter known for Dixieland
and swing music.
From 1933 to 1935 he worked in Ben Pollack
's orchestra and after that became a founding member of the Bob Crosby
Orchestra. He later worked with Benny Goodman
and Tommy Dorsey
, but also worked with Crosby again in 1941. Later in the 1940s he became a studio musician leading his own Dixieland sessions.
In the 1950s he and Bob Haggart
created the Lawson-Haggart band and they worked together in 1968 to form the World's Greatest Jazz Band
, a Dixieland group which performed for the next ten years. He remained an important figure in Dixieland music until his death in 1995, aged 83. He was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1998.
Trenton, Missouri
Trenton is a city in Grundy County, Missouri, United States. The population was 6,006 in 2009. The population according to the 2000 census was 6,216, indicating a 3.4% decrease in population from 2000 to 2009. It is the county seat of Grundy County...
– February 18, 1995, Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
) was a jazz trumpeter known for Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
and swing music.
From 1933 to 1935 he worked in Ben Pollack
Ben Pollack
Ben Pollack was a drummer and bandleader from the mid 1920s through the swing era. His eye for talent led him to either discover or employ, at one time or another, musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Jimmy McPartland and Harry James...
's orchestra and after that became a founding member of the Bob Crosby
Bob Crosby
George Robert "Bob" Crosby was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group the Bob-Cats.-Family:...
Orchestra. He later worked with Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
and Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
, but also worked with Crosby again in 1941. Later in the 1940s he became a studio musician leading his own Dixieland sessions.
In the 1950s he and Bob Haggart
Bob Haggart
Robert Sherwood Haggart was a dixieland jazz double bass player, composer and arranger...
created the Lawson-Haggart band and they worked together in 1968 to form the World's Greatest Jazz Band
World's Greatest Jazz Band
The World's Greatest Jazz Band was an all-star jazz ensemble active from 1968 to 1978.Dick Gibson founded the group at his sixth Jazz Party, an annual event. The group performed mostly Dixieland jazz and recorded extensively. It was co-led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, and did early jazz...
, a Dixieland group which performed for the next ten years. He remained an important figure in Dixieland music until his death in 1995, aged 83. He was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1998.