Around 1955, Charles White provided an illustration for the cover of Sir Charles Thompson and his band featuring Coleman Hawkins. The record was released on the Vanguard label as part of its ‎Vanguard Jazz Showcase – VRS-8009. Again, it was a 10" mono recording. The cover of Sir Charles Thompson and his band featuring Coleman Hawkins featured a drawing of an animated piano player.

The album notes contained the following: "ABOUT THE COVER The drawing on the cover is one of a series commissioned by Vanguard Recording Company, Inc., from the distinguished artist, Charles White. Mr. White won an Academy of Arts and Letters award in 1952, and, that same year, a National Prize of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His work is represented in the Whitney Museum, Library of Congress, and other famous collections. The drawing does not portray any of the actual performers on this session, but rather reveals the human experiences out of which jazz comes." A version of this text was reproduced on a number of the Vanguard sleeves that Charles White illustrated.