Saturday 12 September 2020

Billy Daniels born 12 September 1915


William Boone Daniels (September 12, 1915 – October 7, 1988), better known as Billy Daniels, was an American singer active in the United States and Europe from the mid-1930s to 1988. He was one of the first African-American entertainers to cross over into the mainstream. Daniels was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977.

Daniels was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. where his father was a postmaster and notary. His mother was a schoolteacher and organist. In 1935, Daniels moved from Jacksonville to New York to attend Columbia University. He planned to become a lawyer, but he was sidetracked during the Depression. His grandmother was a seamstress in Harlem for the Ziegfeld Follies, and she encouraged her grandson to sing at Dickie Wells, the club where he first worked as a dishwasher, then a singing waiter. There he was discovered by bandleader Erskine Hawkins, who 
hired him as a featured vocalist. He toured with the Erskine Hawkins Band in 1935–36 and then returned to Harlem. Throughout 1938, he sang daily on New York radio for 12 different sponsors. "It was me or the horse racing," Daniels remarked. Daniels performed frequently at nightclubs on New York's 52nd Street, where he was one of the first singers to leave the big-band scene and pursue a solo career. 

Daniels with Benny Payne
He sometimes made three 52nd Street club performances per night. In 1945, he played intermission with Charlie Parker at the Spotlite Club on 52nd Street. Daniels had several accompanists, including Nat Cole, while in New York. In 1948, he teamed with ex-big-band pianist Benny Payne, who had been Cab Calloway's pianist in the Cotton Club. Payne remained as accompanist for the rest of Daniel's career.


Daniels' first trademark song from his time on New York radio was the song "Diane," which he recorded on Bluebird in 1941. His later signature song was "That Old Black Magic", by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, which Daniels first recorded for Apollo Records in 1948. His 1950 recording on Mercury became a hit, selling in the millions.


                               

His sensational performance in 1950 in Bill Miller's Riveria Club led to holdover appearances. Following Park Avenue residences, Daniels record holdover at 1952 New York Copacabana Club still stands. Daniels was popular in Europe after he headlined at the 
London Palladium in 1952, having broken the house records. He toured the UK's Moss Theatre circuit in the 1950s as "America's 
most exciting singer." His forte was as a nightclub entertainer, and
Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway & Billy Daniels 
he was the biggest cabaret draw in New York throughout the 1950s, appearing alongside the comedian Jimmy Durante. His vocal styling and trademark dance movements were widely imitated by the impressionists of the era. In 1958, Daniels was the first entertainer to sign a long-term contract to appear in Las Vegas for three years at the Stardust.

Daniels had performed in musicals on Broadway early in his career with a minor role in a short-lived musical, Memphis Bound (1945). More notable was the long run (700+ performances) of 
Golden Boy with Sammy Davis Jr. in 1964, directed by Arthur Penn. Daniels toured the US in 1975 with Pearl Bailey in the all-black Hello, Dolly!, and in London's West End, he headlined a 1978 presentation of Bubbling Brown Sugar. He was popular in Australia where he first toured with the Andrews Sisters in 1954. His films include When You're Smiling (Columbia, 1950) On the Sunny Side of the Street (Columbia 1951) and Columbia's Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder (Columbia, 1952).

Daniels was a pioneer in the new medium of television with his own television series on ABC in 1952. The Billy Daniels Show was sponsored by Rybutol, a popular vitamin tablet at the time. This 15-minute show, telecast from New York on Sunday evenings from
what was later to become The Ed Sullivan Theater (and now The Late Show) was a milestone: the first sponsored network television series starring a black performer. He appeared on television in the US and UK and Australia and Canada throughout the 1950s and 1960s with performances on The Milton Berle Show and 'The Ed Sullivan Show.

Daniels' recordings cover the period of transition from 78-rpm to the dawn of microgroove recording. Remembered mostly for his charismatic live performances, he made an album at Abbey Road, The Magic of Billy Daniels (1978), which contained a disco version of "That Old Black Magic." He recorded one of the first soul records, "Woe Woe Woe", a now rare recording.

Daniels was married four times: Gladys Gordan (divorced 1940); Florence Clotworthy (died 1947); Martha Braun (divorced 1953); and Pierrette Cameron (from 1955 to his death in 1988).

Daniels had heart-bypass surgery twice, first in 1982 and then five years later in 1987. He died on October 7, 1988, from stomach cancer at the age of 73 in Los Angeles, California. He is buried at the El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley, San Diego, California.  (Edited from Wikipedia)

1 comment:

boppinbob said...

For “Billy Daniels – Around Midnight” go here:

https://www.upload.ee/files/12263740/Billy_Daniels___Round_Midnight.rar.html

1. That Old Black Magic 2:28 (1947)
2. Love Is A Lovely Thing 2:53
3. I Get A Kick Out Of You 3:04 (1950)
4. You Can't Kiss A Dream Goodnight 2:58
5. Too Marvellous For Words 3:13
6. 'Deed I Do 2:33 (1951)
7. I'll Never Know Why 2:59
8. Just One Of Those Things 2:35
9. September Song 3:58
10. I Never Knew 2:27
11. I Concentrate On You 4:19
12. If I Could Be With You 2:13
13. Lady Of The Evening 3:03
14. Diane 1:54
15. That Old Black Magic (1951 Version) 3:39
16. My Thrill Is Loving You 2:29 (1952)
17. That's How It Goes 3:16
18. It's A Good Day 2:27
19. You Better Go Now 2:48
20. Don't Take Your Love From Me 3:01
21. After You've Gone 2:37
22. How Deep Is The Ocean 3:04
23. Day In, Day Out 3:06
24. If I Should Lose You 2:48
25. The Thrill Is Gone 2:57

American entertainer Billy Daniels was a regular visitor to the United Kingdom throughout the 1950s for it was at London's Palladium in 1952 where he stopped the show with his rendition of "That Old Black Magic". Daniels had been engaged to "open" for another artist but after that first evening his fame grew and soon he was touring the country, appearing on radio and television and he even recorded for a British label.

A larger-than-life performer, the Daniels style of entertaining was so unique that at his peak he was one of the most impersonated artists in show business. On this CD we have included two versions of "That Old Black Magic" including 23 other classic tracks never available on CD before.
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For “The Legendary Billy Daniels” go here:

https://www.upload.ee/files/12263747/Billy_Daniels_-_The_Legendary.rar.html

1. Butterfly 2:59 (1947)
2. Trees 2:53
3. My Yiddishe Mama 2:10
4. Charmaine 2:32
5. Diane (1947 Version) 2:57
6. Home 3:00
7. Must You Go 2:57 (1952)
8. I Don't Want That Woman 2:56
9. The Game Of Love 3:16 (1953)
10. Smile 2:58 (1954)
11. Mom-E-Le 2:46
12. Bye Bye Blackbird 2:33
13. She's Funny That Way 2:38
14. It's Easy To Remember 2:07 (1953) (Medley #1)
15. Imagination 2:15
16. Love Me Or Leave Me 1:50
17.That Old Feeling 2:11
18. My Funny Valentine 2:18
19. This Is My Beloved 3:07
20.Please 1:57 (Medley #2)
21. I Only Have Eyes For You 2:05
22. I Can Dream, Can't I? 2:09
23. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered 1:53
24. What A Difference A Day Makes 1:51
25. More Than You Know 2:04
26. I Still Get A Thrill Thinking Of You 1:49
27. Nothing Can Stop Me Now! (60’s Personal Live Recording) 3:19
28. Who Can I Turn To? (Live Recording) 5:04
29. Them There Eyes (Live Recording) 1:49
30. That Old Black Magic (Live Recording) 2:56

Sepia were greatly encouraged by the enthusiastic response to their first Billy Daniels CD 'Around Midnight' released in 2003, but the icing on the cake was receiving a complimentary note from his family offering help should they decide on a follow-up. So here is the sequel - 30 tracks all on CD for the first time, songs spanning three decades from the 1940s to the 1960s and digitally re-mastered from 78s including four live performances courtesy of the Daniels family.