 Butera was named one of America's top upcoming jazzmen by "Look" magazine when he was only eighteen years old, and, by his early twenties, he had landed positions in the orchestras of Tommy Dorsey, Joe Reichman, and Paul Gayten.As the big band era wound down and heavy touring became less common among jazz musicians, Butera re-settled in New Orleans, where he played regularly at the 500 Club for four years.The 500 Club was owned by Louis Prima's brother, Leon, and it was this connection that led him to his much-heralded Vegas-based collaborations with Prima and Smith.