Yank Lawson

An exciting Dixieland trumpeter whose tone appealed and whose melodic ideas stood out, Yank Lawson drew crowds across the Dixieland circuit for decades. He joined Ben Pollack’s band in 1933 and stayed until 1935; when that ensemble disbanded, Lawson joined the group of sidemen who formed the original Bob Crosby Orchestra. Between 1935 and 1938 he appeared on numerous recordings with both the full orchestra and Bob Crosby’s Bobcats. From 1938 to 1939 he worked with Tommy Dorsey, receiving generous solo opportunities in Dorsey’s Clambake Seven. After returning briefly to Crosby in 1941–1942 and spending part of 1942 with Benny Goodman, Lawson settled into studio work while also leading Dixieland dates under his own name. During the 1950s he recorded extensively with Bob Haggart in the Lawson-Haggart band, rejoined Crosby on several occasions, portrayed King Oliver in Louis Armstrong’s A Musical Autobiography, and participated in sessions with Eddie Condon, appearing regularly at Condon’s club from 1964 through 1966. In 1968 Lawson and Haggart assembled the World’s Greatest Jazz Band, an all-star Dixieland ensemble that remained active for ten years. He continued performing alongside Haggart and other leading Dixieland musicians at festivals and jazz parties until his death at age 83. As a leader, Lawson recorded for Bob Thiele’s various labels, including Signature, as well as Decca, Everest, ABC-Paramount, Project 3, Atlantic, World Jazz Records, Audiophile, and Jazzology.