Haig, Johnny Eshow, 1956-2007

Musician Johnny Eshow Haig was born in San Francisco, California on June 4, 1926. He had an interest in music at an early age, studied the trombone, and became a part of the San Francisco music scene by the time he was a teenager. He moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1955 after serving in World War II. He then dropped the “Eshow” from his name and became known as Johnny Haig. He played his trombone at the Frontier Hotel and the Dunes Hotel. He also played in the city’s relief band, the band that filled in when the regular band had nights off, led by Jack Eglash. When Eglash became the bandleader at the Sahara Hotel in 1970, Haig took over as leader of the Las Vegas relief band, backing up stars such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tony Bennett, and Elvis Presley. In 1987 Haig became the musical director at Caesar’s Palace. He remained there until the casino closed the Circus Maximus, its original showroom, in September of 2000. Haig continued to perform and assembled a band for occasional dances and special events. He performed his final show in June 2006 and died in August 2007.