Today we celebrate the birth of American composer, arranger, and trumpeter Billy May! Billy was born on this day in 1916 and got his first big break when Glenn Miller of the Glenn Miller Orchestra hired him in 1940 to help with arrangements. Billy May gained fame from his performances with Miller in the musical comedies Sun Valley Serenade and Orchestra Wives in which they interpreted Harry classics like Chattanooga Choo Choo and (Ive Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo. Billy, not one to rest on his laurels, became one of the most sought after arrangers of his era and continued on to work for Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Sinatra and Cole put Billys familiarity with Harrys catalogue to good use by having him arrange I Had The Craziest Dream and This Is Always, respectively. Enjoy this excerpt from the 1941 film Sun Valley Serenade! ow.ly/E59LD
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 22:18:45 +0000