Recorded in 1953, Vanguard Jazz Showcase released Vic Dickenson Septet, a four-volume set of records. Charles White provided an illustration that was used on the four covers. The drawing of an African American trombone player (the trombone being Dickenson’s instrument) was signed ‘Charles White ’55’. There were at least two versions of Volume 3, this one being VRS 8012 which was similar to Volume 4, the difference being this Volume 3 had a green background, rather than the blue of Volume 4. Colour coding differentiated each of the four records. There were references to White in the notes on the back of the record cover, as follows:

“The drawing on the cover is one of a series commissioned by Vanguard Recording Society, 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.”

A version of this text was reproduced on a number of the Vanguard sleeves that Charles White illustrated.