Guitarist LaVerne Christie passed away in her sleep on September 24, 2010 at home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally from Buffalo, New York, she had played professionally for almost 20 years. She performed in a variety of settings - from combo to big band, and from vocal accompanist to solo guitarist.

Her Las Vegas jazz trio, formed in 2005, routinely played for public and private events. They appeared at many of the major Las Vegas resorts, concert venues, country clubs, on TV and radio, with a loyal following from weekly performances at a local restaurant. The trio's CD East of the Sun, West of the Moon, received critical acclaim and heavy airplay across the U.S. and Canada.

LaVerne Christie also played jazz in a guitar and upright bass duo, and classical music in a flute and guitar duo. As a solo guitarist, she played jazz and pop tunes as well as classical pieces and was sought after to perform at many wedding venues, including Caesar's Palace.

LaVerne attended the Jazz School in Berkeley. She studied with classical guitar master Jeffrey Van in Minneapolis, and with jazz notables Mimi Fox and Randy Vincent in the San Francisco Bay area.