Nappy Lamare; Banjo, Guitar Jazz Performer

Hilton (Nappy) Lamare, an original member of the Bob Crosby band and a fixture on the national jazz scene for more than 50 years, died over the weekend at his home in Newhall. He was 82.

Lamare, who was equally at home on banjo or guitar, was born in New Orleans and got his first national exposure with the Ben Pollock orchestra from 1930 to 1935. He joined Crosby when that band was formed in 1935 and stayed with it until 1942. Since then he has appeared frequently with Crosby at various reunions.

He spent most of his later life in Los Angeles appearing at the old Hangover Club in Hollywood with other Crosby alumni. He toured in the 1950s with drummer Ray Bauduc, who died in January. He was also seen at Disneyland and in big band groups fronted by Abe Most and John Best. More recently he had played with a group called Jazz Forum.

Lamare also sang and recorded sound tracks. He was heard prominently in “The Great Gatsby,” and some of his songs were featured in such pictures as “Brighton Beach.” Among his compositions were “Dixieland Shuffle,” “March of the Bob Cats,” “Swinging at the Sugar Bowl” and “My Inspiration.”

His family, which includes three sons and 11 grandchildren, said he had just completed acting in the unreleased film “Doing Time on Planet Earth” and had remained active, playing at a party at the retirement community where he lived the night before his death.

A Rosary will be recited at 8:30 a.m. Friday at St. Clare’s Roman Catholic Church in Canyon Country with a funeral Mass to follow at 9. Burial will be at San Fernando Mission Cemetery.