Billy May RIP

[SGUD missile]

I just saw this on another BBS, and it really blew me away ..

we of the penciling business just lost a real great ..

>>Billy May died yesterday. Here's his obit from the LA Times:

Billy May, a 1950s bandleader, composer and arranger with a highly distinctive style who worked with such leading recording artists as Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee, died of a heart attack Thursday at his home in San Juan Capistrano. He was 87.

May began his career as a trumpeter with the Charlie Barnet Band in 1938. He soon was contributing arrangements characterized by what the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz described as "wailing, 'scooping' saxophones voiced in thirds."

The best-known of his arrangements for Barnet was for the hit recording of "Cherokee," the Ray Noble song that became a standard of the swing era and Barnet's signature tune.

In 1939, May joined the Glenn Miller band, where his arrangements included "Take the 'A' Train" and "Serenade in Blue." With Miller, he was perhaps best-known for his trumpet playing, notably on "I dreamt I dwelt in Harlem" in 1941 and "American Patrol" in 1942.

During the 1940s, May also wrote arrangements for the Les Brown, Woody Herman and Alvino Rey orchestras and worked in studios and for NBC.

During the 1950s, he led his own band, which scored successes with his arrangements of "All of Me," "Lulu's Back in Town," "Charmaine," "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Lean Baby" and "Fat Man Boogie." The latter two were his own compositions.

During the 1950s and 1960s, he also worked as arranger-conductor for a number of artists, including Sinatra on the singer's famous "Come Fly With Me" album in 1958. He was associated with Sinatra for three decades after meeting the singer in a New York saloon in 1939.

His television work included composing, with Milton Raskin, the theme song for "Naked City," the popular ABC police drama that aired from 1958 to 1963, and music for the Red Skelton and Ozzie and Harriet Nelson shows.

RIP Billy ..you will be missed

Phil Kelly

[catesta]

Sad news.

RIP Billy.

[Jim Alfredson]

Sad news. My condolences.

I'm moving this to the "artists" forum.

[JSngry]

What a talent this guy was!

So long, and thanks.

[ghost of miles]

Man, that is so sad. I had just recently picked up the 2-CD set of the sessions he did with Nat King Cole... and just a few days ago I was recommending the albums he did with Anita O'Day to somebody here on the board. You will be much missed, Billy.

[Big Wheel]

Listening to the Billy May/Anita O'Day version of "Get Out of Town," one of my favorite Cole Porter tunes. That thing May does with slyly changing the I chord (the tonic minor) to major at the beginning of the second A section is seriously hip.

[medjuck]

Someone I'd never heard of named Billy Mays died recently and got a lot of press. When I first read the headline of his obit I mis-read his name as Billy May and thought it was fitting he'd gotten such a big write-up. Now Billy May is dead. Nice to see him getting some recognition too even if the obit isn't quite as long.

[Harold_Z]

He was one of the greats. RIP Billy.

[Free For All]

You guys do realize this thread is five years old? Not to say that Billy May doesn't deserve ongoing appreciation, of course.

[JSngry]

I just heard that Billy May is working on an album with Generalissimo Francisco Franco....

[Harold_Z]

  Free For All said:

You guys do realize this thread is five years old? Not to say that Billy May doesn't deserve ongoing appreciation, of course.

My first reaction upon seeing this thread was "Geez. I thought Billy was already dead. Guess I'm mistaken." Didn't think to look at the dates.

[fasstrack]

  SGUD missile said:

I just saw this on another BBS, and it really blew me away ..

we of the penciling business just lost a real great ..

>>Billy May died yesterday. Here's his obit from the LA Times:

Billy May, a 1950s bandleader, composer and arranger with a highly distinctive style who worked with such leading recording artists as Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee, died of a heart attack Thursday at his home in San Juan Capistrano. He was 87.

May began his career as a trumpeter with the Charlie Barnet Band in 1938. He soon was contributing arrangements characterized by what the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz described as "wailing, 'scooping' saxophones voiced in thirds."

The best-known of his arrangements for Barnet was for the hit recording of "Cherokee," the Ray Noble song that became a standard of the swing era and Barnet's signature tune.

In 1939, May joined the Glenn Miller band, where his arrangements included "Take the 'A' Train" and "Serenade in Blue." With Miller, he was perhaps best-known for his trumpet playing, notably on "I dreamt I dwelt in Harlem" in 1941 and "American Patrol" in 1942.

During the 1940s, May also wrote arrangements for the Les Brown, Woody Herman and Alvino Rey orchestras and worked in studios and for NBC.

During the 1950s, he led his own band, which scored successes with his arrangements of "All of Me," "Lulu's Back in Town," "Charmaine," "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Lean Baby" and "Fat Man Boogie." The latter two were his own compositions.

During the 1950s and 1960s, he also worked as arranger-conductor for a number of artists, including Sinatra on the singer's famous "Come Fly With Me" album in 1958. He was associated with Sinatra for three decades after meeting the singer in a New York saloon in 1939.

His television work included composing, with Milton Raskin, the theme song for "Naked City," the popular ABC police drama that aired from 1958 to 1963, and music for the Red Skelton and Ozzie and Harriet Nelson shows.

RIP Billy ..you will be missed

Phil Kelly

Oh boy. And George Russell around the same time, Bill Finegan (my friend who I sorely miss) last year.

I guess even the greatest of shows have to have final curtains......

[J.A.W.]

  fasstrack said:

  SGUD missile said:

I just saw this on another BBS, and it really blew me away ..

we of the penciling business just lost a real great ..

>>Billy May died yesterday. Here's his obit from the LA Times:

Billy May, a 1950s bandleader, composer and arranger with a highly distinctive style who worked with such leading recording artists as Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee, died of a heart attack Thursday at his home in San Juan Capistrano. He was 87.

May began his career as a trumpeter with the Charlie Barnet Band in 1938. He soon was contributing arrangements characterized by what the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz described as "wailing, 'scooping' saxophones voiced in thirds."

The best-known of his arrangements for Barnet was for the hit recording of "Cherokee," the Ray Noble song that became a standard of the swing era and Barnet's signature tune.

In 1939, May joined the Glenn Miller band, where his arrangements included "Take the 'A' Train" and "Serenade in Blue." With Miller, he was perhaps best-known for his trumpet playing, notably on "I dreamt I dwelt in Harlem" in 1941 and "American Patrol" in 1942.

During the 1940s, May also wrote arrangements for the Les Brown, Woody Herman and Alvino Rey orchestras and worked in studios and for NBC.

During the 1950s, he led his own band, which scored successes with his arrangements of "All of Me," "Lulu's Back in Town," "Charmaine," "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Lean Baby" and "Fat Man Boogie." The latter two were his own compositions.

During the 1950s and 1960s, he also worked as arranger-conductor for a number of artists, including Sinatra on the singer's famous "Come Fly With Me" album in 1958. He was associated with Sinatra for three decades after meeting the singer in a New York saloon in 1939.

His television work included composing, with Milton Raskin, the theme song for "Naked City," the popular ABC police drama that aired from 1958 to 1963, and music for the Red Skelton and Ozzie and Harriet Nelson shows.

RIP Billy ..you will be missed

Phil Kelly

Oh boy. And George Russell around the same time, Bill Finegan (my friend who I sorely miss) last year.

I guess even the greatest of shows have to have final curtains......

No, not around the same time - Billy May died on January 22, 2004. As was mentioned in post #9, this thread is 5 years old.

Edited July 30, 2009 by J.A.W.

[JSngry]

  JSngry said:

I just heard that Billy May is working on an album with Generalissimo Francisco Franco....

With liner notes by Garrett Morris, I'm told.

[MomsMobley]

I'm still fucking gutted... bye bye Billy, come back soon.

 

[Enterprise Server]

Great arranger and composer. Not much more needs to be said....