Billy Eckstine (8 July 1914 – 8 March 1993), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvan… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Eckstine (8 July 1914 – 8 March 1993), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA as William Clarence Eckstein. He changed the spelling to Eckstine after a club owner said the original spelling was "too Jewish".
Eckstine was an American jazz singer and bandleader who also played trumpet, valve trombone, and guitar. He also performed briefly as Billy X. Stine. His nickname was Mr. B. Although best known as a singer, his openness to new music made him a strong influence on modern jazz, particularly bebop, as he gave employment to many of the musicians who founded the style.
After singing with the Earl Hines band from 1939 to 1943 he led his own band from 1944 to 1947. The band featured at various times a large number of rising jazz stars, including:
Saxophones: Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Lucky Thompson, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Budd Johnson, Leo Parker
Trumpets: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Fats Navarro
Drums: Art Blakey
Singers: Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan
Eckstine later formed an octet, then went solo, becoming a popular ballad singer while remaining an important figure in jazz. His huge, distinctive baritone made him one of the first African American singers to have mainstream success. He was the composer of the blues classic "Jelly, Jelly" and also recorded the R&B top hit "Stormy Monday Blues" in 1942 (not to be confused with T-Bone Walker's 1947 "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)"). Most of his success as a singer came with ballads, including "Everything I have is Yours", "Blue Moon", "Caravan," "Prisoner of Love," "You Go to My Head," and "That Old Black Magic". His last hit was "Passing Strangers", a duet with Sarah Vaughan released in 1957.
Eckstine was a style leader and noted sharp dresser. He designed and patented a high roll collar that formed a B over a Windsor-knotted tie, which became known as a Mr. B. Collar. In addition to looking cool, the collar expanded and contracted without popping open, which allowed his neck to swell while playing his horns. The collars were worn by many a hipster in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
In 1984, Eckstine recorded his final album, I Am A Singer, featuring beautiful ballads arranged and conducted by Angelo DiPippo.
Eckstine was an American jazz singer and bandleader who also played trumpet, valve trombone, and guitar. He also performed briefly as Billy X. Stine. His nickname was Mr. B. Although best known as a singer, his openness to new music made him a strong influence on modern jazz, particularly bebop, as he gave employment to many of the musicians who founded the style.
After singing with the Earl Hines band from 1939 to 1943 he led his own band from 1944 to 1947. The band featured at various times a large number of rising jazz stars, including:
Saxophones: Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Lucky Thompson, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Budd Johnson, Leo Parker
Trumpets: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Fats Navarro
Drums: Art Blakey
Singers: Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan
Eckstine later formed an octet, then went solo, becoming a popular ballad singer while remaining an important figure in jazz. His huge, distinctive baritone made him one of the first African American singers to have mainstream success. He was the composer of the blues classic "Jelly, Jelly" and also recorded the R&B top hit "Stormy Monday Blues" in 1942 (not to be confused with T-Bone Walker's 1947 "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)"). Most of his success as a singer came with ballads, including "Everything I have is Yours", "Blue Moon", "Caravan," "Prisoner of Love," "You Go to My Head," and "That Old Black Magic". His last hit was "Passing Strangers", a duet with Sarah Vaughan released in 1957.
Eckstine was a style leader and noted sharp dresser. He designed and patented a high roll collar that formed a B over a Windsor-knotted tie, which became known as a Mr. B. Collar. In addition to looking cool, the collar expanded and contracted without popping open, which allowed his neck to swell while playing his horns. The collars were worn by many a hipster in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
In 1984, Eckstine recorded his final album, I Am A Singer, featuring beautiful ballads arranged and conducted by Angelo DiPippo.
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All of My Life
Billy Eckstine Lyrics
All Of My Life Ooh,yeah From rags to riches, here I stand Shaped and molded…
Blue Christmas I'll have a Blue Christmas without you I'll be so blue…
Boulevard of Broken Dreams I walk along the street of sorrow The boulevard of broken…
Christmas Eve There's candle in the window There's a legend we believe San…
Coquette Hear me, why you keep fooling Little coquette, making fun o…
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Early Autumn When an early autumn walks the land and chills the…
Everything Depends On You You're my everything underneath the sun You're my everything…
Funny Behold the way our fine feathered friend His virtue doth par…
Gigi She's a babe Just a babe Still cavorting in her crib Eating …
I Apologize If I told a lie, if I made you cry When…
I'm A Fool To Want You I'm a fool to want you I'm a fool to want…
In The Rain Years go by, still I recall How we met one day When…
Jealousy Jealousy, night and day you torture me I sometimes wonder if…
Laura You know the feeling of something half remembered Of somethi…
Lost In Loveliness What a thrill you are, What a sight to see, Something the…
Love Me Love me or leave me and let me be lonely You…
My Foolish Heart The night is like a lovely tune Beware my foolish heart How…
O Holy Night O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the…
People Will Say We're In Love Don't throw bouquets at me Don't please my folks too much Do…
Prelude To A Kiss If you hear A song in blue Like a flower crying For the…
Prisoner of Love Someone that I belong to Doesn't belong to me Someone who ca…
Taking A Chance On Love Here I go again, I hear those trumpets blow again. All…
That's for Me I saw you standing in the sun and you were…
The Bitter With The Sweet I was a fool who never knew The ways of love I…
The Tennessee Rock'n'Roll Oh, I went down to Tennessee Yes, I went down to…
Trust in Me Come to me without more speculation Have no fear, give me…
Wonder Why Wonder why I'm not myself off late I'm feeling strangely gre…
You're Driving Me Crazy You left me sad and lonely; Why did you leave…
Younger Than Springtime Younger than springtime are you, Softer than starlight are y…
Nick Zoohowza
on Jelly, Jelly
The “meaning” of Jelly Jelly seems to have been written by ChatGPT. Surely “jelly”, like “jelly roll” was intended in this song to refer to sex/genitalia, and not something to spread on toast.
Da'chocolate conductor nelfoster u'dig from the chocolate cle city ohio
on Kiss Of Fire
Absolutely Absolutely Absolutely Amazing Grace his voice was"GOD"gift to us class jazz lovers listeners u'dig now can you dig dat baby,baby from da'conductor nelfoster from chocolate cle city ohio chocolate rocks...