Fw: Billy May, age 87

[RBB]

First, it was dancer, Ann Miller, then Captain Kangaroo, now Billy May this
week.  Wow!

We've lost another legend in the music business, Billy May, at age 87 in Los
Angeles.  At age 23, he did Charlie Barnet's classic arrangement of
"Cherokee" in 1939 as a trumpeter with the band, it became one of the
biggest hits in the swing-era, and the inspiration for bebop saxaphonist,
Charlie Parker's "Ko-Ko" based on the chord changes in "Cherokee."  He also
played trumpet and arranged for Glenn Miller before he formed his wartime,
Army orchestra in the 1940's.

That was just the beginning for Billy May.
 Later, his trademark "blusey glissando" or "slurping saxaphones"
arrangements became a much sought-after, "new sound" for Frank Sinatra's
series of "travelling themed", #1 albums.  Crosby then also recorded two
"travelling" albums. May shifted to a "brass choir" sound and won Grammy
awards with that.

May was on early radio with a number of singers including Bing Crosby. He
was also the Musical Director for Stan Freberg's radio comedy series in the
late-1950's.   He then worked in television and movie sound tracks, and was
a ghost-writer-arranger-composer.

He wrote children's "story and song records" producing over 60 albums for
the Capitol label.  His talent for prolific music writing is in his
statement:  "I write faster than anyone, better - and better than anyone,
faster!"
So long, Billy - thanks for all the great music!

Does anyone on the list have his albums to share or trade?  "Sorta May",
"Cha Cha", "Burnished Brass" w/ Shearing, or his work with Yma Sumac "Mambo"
?  Maybe someone who worked on the air with his LP's?  Thanks.

Russ Butler  oldradio@earthlink.net