Charles LaVere (1910-83) was a talented pianist, singer and songwriter who managed to stay busy through his entire career without ever becoming well-known. Born in Kansas, he studied music at the University of Oklahoma, became good friends with Jack and Charlie Teagarden, worked with Frank William’s Oklahomans, and freelanced on the East Coast. LaVere moved to Chicago in late 1932, made his recording debut with Jack Teagarden in 1933, led a couple of his own sessions in 1935, and then began working regularly on radio as a pianist, arranger and singer. A stint with Paul Whiteman led to a West Coast tour and LaVere settling in Los Angeles. He worked with Frank Trumbauer and Skinnay Ennis, and regularly on Bing Crosby’s radio show during 1939-47.
LaVere recorded many sessions as a sideman for the Decca label, mostly supporting other acts, and he often recorded easy-listening music with Gordon Jenkins. In 1944 he formed LaVere’s Chicago Loopers, a Dixieland group that had sessions during 1944-50 for the Jump label. LaVere, who composed “It’s All In Your Mind” and “Misery and the Blues,” was the lead singer on Gordon Jenkins’ “Maybe You’ll Be There” which sold over a million records. With Jenkins, LaVere had opportunities to record with Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong. In later years he led a group that played regularly at Disneyland during 1955-59, worked in La
