Johnny Lala

Trumpeter, pianist, and saxophonist Johnny Lala (1894-1966) was an Arbreshe Sicilian American who was born in the French Quarter but lived most of his life in the Fifth Ward of New Orleans. After lessons from Anthony Maggio, he began his musical career as a trumpeter with Papa Jack Laine’s Reliance bands, and then worked with Tom Brown, Fischer’s Brass Band, and Happy Schilling’s jazz band before 1920. Lala worked in various orchestras with trombonist Santo Pecora in Chicago in the early 1920s and toured with the bands of Ted Lewis, Ted Weems, Sophie Tucker, and worked as a pianist for Al Jolson. Lala returned to New Orleans in 1928 to take over the family business after the death of his father and never returned to music.