Billy Stewart
Billy Stewart (March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970) was an American musical a… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Stewart (March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970) was an American musical artist, with a highly distinctive scat-singing style, who enjoyed popularity in the early 1960s.
Billy Stewart began singing publicly with his mother's group, the Stewart Gospel Singers, as a teenager. He made the transition to secular music by filling in occasionally for the Rainbows, a D.C. area vocal group led by future soul star Don Covay. It was also through the Rainbows that Stewart met another aspiring singer, a very young Marvin Gaye. Seminal rock and roller Bo Diddley has been credited with discovering Stewart playing piano in Washington, D.C. in 1956 and inviting him to be one of his backup musicians. This led to a recording contract with Bo Diddley's label, Chess Records, and Bo Diddley played guitar on Stewart's 1956 recording of "Billy's Blues". Stewart then moved to Okeh Records and recorded "Billy's Heartache" backed by the Marquees, another D.C. area group which was now featuring Marvin Gaye.
Back at Chess in the early 1960s, Stewart began working with A&R man Billy Davis. He cut a song called "Fat Boy". Showing additional promise with his recordings of "Reap What You Sow" and "Strange Feeling", major chart success was not far away. Stewart hit both the pop and R&B charts big in 1965 with the songs, “I Do Love You” and “Sitting in the Park.” His improvisational technique of doubling-up, scatting his words and trilling his lips made his style unique in the 1960s.
In 1966, wishing to appeal to a wider audience, Stewart recorded the LP "Billy Stewart Teaches Old Standards New Tricks" in 1966. The first single released from that album was Billy's radical stand-out interpretation of the George Gershwin classic "Summertime", a top ten hit on both the pop and R&B charts in 1966. The follow-up single was Billy's remake of the Doris Day hit "Secret Love", which just missed the top ten on the R&B chart.
While Stewart continued to record throughout the remainder of the 1960s, his weight problem worsened and he developed diabetes. He also suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle accident in 1969. His life was tragically cut short on January 17, 1970, just 2 months prior to his 33rd birthday, when the car he was driving plunged into the Neuse River in North Carolina, killing him and three members of his band.
Billy Stewart was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame in 1982.
Billy Stewart began singing publicly with his mother's group, the Stewart Gospel Singers, as a teenager. He made the transition to secular music by filling in occasionally for the Rainbows, a D.C. area vocal group led by future soul star Don Covay. It was also through the Rainbows that Stewart met another aspiring singer, a very young Marvin Gaye. Seminal rock and roller Bo Diddley has been credited with discovering Stewart playing piano in Washington, D.C. in 1956 and inviting him to be one of his backup musicians. This led to a recording contract with Bo Diddley's label, Chess Records, and Bo Diddley played guitar on Stewart's 1956 recording of "Billy's Blues". Stewart then moved to Okeh Records and recorded "Billy's Heartache" backed by the Marquees, another D.C. area group which was now featuring Marvin Gaye.
Back at Chess in the early 1960s, Stewart began working with A&R man Billy Davis. He cut a song called "Fat Boy". Showing additional promise with his recordings of "Reap What You Sow" and "Strange Feeling", major chart success was not far away. Stewart hit both the pop and R&B charts big in 1965 with the songs, “I Do Love You” and “Sitting in the Park.” His improvisational technique of doubling-up, scatting his words and trilling his lips made his style unique in the 1960s.
In 1966, wishing to appeal to a wider audience, Stewart recorded the LP "Billy Stewart Teaches Old Standards New Tricks" in 1966. The first single released from that album was Billy's radical stand-out interpretation of the George Gershwin classic "Summertime", a top ten hit on both the pop and R&B charts in 1966. The follow-up single was Billy's remake of the Doris Day hit "Secret Love", which just missed the top ten on the R&B chart.
While Stewart continued to record throughout the remainder of the 1960s, his weight problem worsened and he developed diabetes. He also suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle accident in 1969. His life was tragically cut short on January 17, 1970, just 2 months prior to his 33rd birthday, when the car he was driving plunged into the Neuse River in North Carolina, killing him and three members of his band.
Billy Stewart was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame in 1982.
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Billy Stewart Lyrics
A Fat Boy Baby, here I am Baby, here I am You see…
A Foggy Day I was a stranger in the city Out of town were…
Almost Like Being In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Because I Love You Ooh, ooh, I love you Ooh, ooh, I love you I'll follow…
Billy's Blues Latin beat style (guitar & instrumental) Ooh, pretty baby…
Cross My Heart Cross my heart that I love her Place no one up…
Every Day I Have The Blues Ev'ry day, Ev'ry day I have the blues, Ev'ry day,…
Fat Boy Baby, here I am Baby, here I am You see…
Foggy Day I was a stranger in the city Out of town were…
Golly Golly Gee Baby, baby, baby, baby I said a right now Ooo you…
How Nice It Is How nice it is to be back home How nice it…
I I do love you, but it's All alright I do love you,…
I'm In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
I'm No Romeo Ahhh ahhh ahhhh ooooo oooo ooo oooooo It's never been told,…
Look Back And Smile I never ever made you cry no I never even told…
Moon River Moon river, wider than a mile I'm crossing you in style…
My Funny Valentine Behold the way our fine feathered friend His virtue doth par…
Over The Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
Reap What You Sow Over and over I tell you that I love you It's over…
Secret Love Once I had a secret love That lived within the heart…
Sitting In The Park Sittin' in the park, Waitin' for hooo-hoo-hoo-hoo sha-la …
Stange Feeling I have lived my life My life, my, my life In a…
Strange Feeling I have lived my life My life, my, my life In a…
Summertime Brr, uck Chuck a-chuck-chuck (huh yeah) A-summertime And the…
Summertime - Single Version La, la, la La, la, la, la, la, la, la La, la,…
Tell Me the Truth Uh you don′t know... The way, you make me feel... Uh i…
Temptation About To Get Me Another day has gone by, lord And still I wait Don't you…
That Old Black Magic Old black magic has me in its spell Old black magic…
Why Do I Love You So? I do love you, but it's All alright I do love you,…