Fw: Billy May, age 87

[Bob Nelson]

--- RBB <oldradio@earthlink.net> wrote:
 
> We've lost another legend in the music business,
> Billy May, at age 87 in Los
> Angeles.  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.

Yes--was familiar with his work with Ol' Blue Eyes
as well as Freberg. In fact I have all 15 episodes
of Freberg's short-lived 50s radio series (he
replaced Jack Benny on CBS). "With the music of
Billy Mayyyyyy...," part of the opening theme went.
And I'm sure he worked with Freberg on more than 
a few of his hit records, too.

Oddly enough, there's a connection between Freberg
and the late Miller, too. A 1972 ad Freberg did
(which appears on the video portion of his box set
"Tip of the Freberg") has Miller as a housewife
who sings and tapdances out of her kitchen onto a
stage (and, eventually, a giant can of Campbell's
Great American Soups). Then she tapdances back
into the kitchen. "Emily," says her husband,
"why do you have to make such a big production
out of everything?" :)

Also: as part of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show",
one song, "the Time Warp", has the character
"Columbia" going into a tap dance. At that part,
audience members traditionally yell out,
"Eat your heart out, Ann Miller!"