Biography
Lou McGarity stood out among trombonists for his brash timbre, distinct from the style of his early model Jack Teagarden, and brought reliable strength to ensembles and after-hours gatherings alike. He first handled a violin at seven before turning to trombone at seventeen. From 1934 to 1936 he enrolled at the University of Georgia, worked regional jobs in the South with Kirk DeVore and Nye Mayhew, then spent 1938–40 on the road alongside Ben Bernie. His profile rose sharply once he joined Benny Goodman in 1940, remaining through 1942; during that stretch he appeared with both the full band and Goodman’s smaller units, the first trombonist invited to do so. Over the years he repeatedly shared stages with his close colleague Cutty Cutshall, including during their mutual Goodman engagements. Between 1942 and 1944 McGarity performed in Raymond Scott’s Orchestra for CBS, served in the military, and returned to Goodman briefly in 1946. Beginning in 1947 he settled into steady studio work in New York while continuing to play nightly Dixieland dates with the Lawson/Haggart band and the various groups led by Eddie Condon. In the mid-sixties he worked with Bob Crosby, then became a central figure in the World’s Greatest Jazz Band from 1968 to 1970 until declining health ended his career. As a leader he recorded four titles for MGM in 1955, sessions for Jubilee and Argo in 1959, and further material for Fat Cat’s Jazz in 1970.
Albums
