William Everett "Billy" Strange (September 29,
1930 – February 22, 2012) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and
actor. He was a session musician with the famed Wrecking Crew, and
was inducted
into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum as a member of The Wrecking Crew in
2007.
Billy Strange was born in Long Beach, California on September
29, 1930. Started performing with his mother and father, cowboy entertainers
George and Billie Strange, on radio as a young boy and won a yodelling contest.
He initially learned the trumpet;
however his asthmatic condition impeded his playing ability. At the age of
fourteen, his parents bought him a guitar. He had toured Texas with his father
and when he returned home to the West Coast, he established himself as a
regular presence on television. A separation from music led him to a period as
a truck driver and stunt man, but his love for harmony lured him back with an
emphasis on the country genre.
He initially worked as a country guitarist, backing Spade
Cooley, Roy Rogers, The Sons of the Pioneers, Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant in
the 1950s. He also served a stint in Count Basie’s band. During the 1960s, he
became a part of the famed stable of session musicians known as "The
Wrecking Crew". He teamed up with Mac Davis to write several hit songs for
Elvis Presley, including "A Little Less Conversation", the theme from
Charro!, and "Memories". Strange also composed the musical soundtrack
for two of Presley's films Live a Little, Love a Little and The Trouble with
Girls. He also wrote "Limbo Rock" that was recorded by The Champs and
Chubby Checker.
Strange recorded many cover versions of James Bond movie
themes for GNP Crescendo Records and provided the instrumental backing and
arrangement for Nancy Sinatra's non-soundtrack version of "You Only Live
Twice" as well as Nancy and Frank Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid".
He was recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame for his pioneering
contribution to the genre.
Strange played guitar on numerous Beach Boys hits,
including "Sloop John B" and the Pet Sounds album. He also played
guitar for Nancy Sinatra, Jan & Dean, The Ventures, Willie Nelson, The
Everly Brothers, Wanda Jackson, Randy Newman, and Nat King Cole, among others.
One of his most famous performances is on Nancy Sinatra's version of "Bang
Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)".
In the 1970s, Strange settled in Nashville to open a
publishing company for the Sinatra family. He arranged and conducted all of
Nancy Sinatra's Reprise albums as well as Nancy Sinatra's and Lee Hazlewood's
1972 RCA Records release, Nancy & Lee Again and their 2003 album, Nancy
& Lee 3. He also arranged the 1981 Sinatra and Mel Tillis album, Mel &
Nancy. He arranged and conducted for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis,
Jr., Duane Eddy, and Elvis Presley. One of his most famous arrangements was
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for Nancy Sinatra. Strange also
performed the vocals for Steve McQueen in Baby the Rain Must Fall.
Heard on the soundtracks of many Disney features, Strange played themes for such TV shows as "The Munsters" (1964), "Batman" (1966) and "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957). He is the guitarist heard on the theme to "The Munsters". He sang his own composition, "The Ballad of Bunny and Claude", in the Merrie Melodies Bunny And Claude (We Rob Carrot Patches) (1968) and The Great Carrot-Train Robbery (1969).
Strange was married to singer and actress Joan O'Brien
from 1954 to 1955. They had a son, Russell Glen Strange, born on October 4,
1955. He was also married to Betty Jo Conrad (son: Jerry Strange) from 1960 to
1978. They had a daughter together, Kelly Kimberly Strange, born on November
11, 1964.
Strange was married to Country singer Jeanne Black in his final
years. After a brief illness he died on February 22, 2012, aged 81. (Info edited from various sources, mainly Wikipedia)
Billy Strange -The amazing Man with the guitar - interview - part 1 & 2
Billy Strange -The amazing Man with the guitar - interview - part 1 & 2
1 comment:
Found a few LP’s on the web.
BIlly Strange - The James Bond Theme (1964)
The James Bond Theme 2:00
Nobody I Know 2:31
In The Mood 2:13
Memphis 2:36
Wishin & Hopin 2:48
C'mon And Swim 2:48
Walk, Don't Run '64 2:14
The Girl From Ipanema 2:39
Hard Day's Night 2:33
Bernie's Tune 1:58
007 Theme 2:12
House Of The Rising Sun 4:36
http://www.mediafire.com/download/6kq66qii1fdbko7/BS64.zip
Thanks to loungetastic.blogspot.co.uk for link
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Billy Strange - Billy Strange plays The Hits (1965)
http://www.file-upload.net/download-10891611/Strange.rar.html
Thanks to allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.co.uk
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Billy Strange • Secret Agent File (1965)
http://www.ulozto.net/xSoHEhZw/billy-strange-secret-agent-file-rar
Thanks to egrojworld.blogspot.ru (pw: egroj)
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