William Ballard Doggett (February 16, 1916 - November 13, 1996) is a jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and American organ. He is famous for his compositions "Honky Tonk" and "Hippy Dippy", and various works with Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan.
Video Bill Doggett
Biography
Doggett was born in Philadelphia. His mother, a church pianist, introduced him to music when he was nine years old. By the time he was fifteen, he had joined a combo in the Philadelphia area, playing local theater and clubs while attending high school.
Doggett then sold his band to Lucky Millinder, and worked during the 1930s and early 1940s for Millinder, Frank Fairfax and arranger Jimmy Mundy. In 1942 he was employed as a pianist and arranger of Ink Ink.
Toward the end of 1947, he replaced Wild Bill Davis as a pianist for Tympany Five by Louis Jordan. It was in Jordan's group that he first achieved the success of playing Hammond's organ. In 1950 he was thought to have written one of Jordan's biggest hits, "Saturday Night Fish Fry", which Jordan claimed as a writing credit.
In 1951, Doggett set his own trays and began recording for King Records. His most famous footage is "Honky Tonk", a rhythm and blues hit in 1956 that sold four million copies (reaching No. 1 R & amp; B and No. 2 Pop), and which he wrote with Billy Butler. This song is above the Billboard R & amp; B US for more than two months. She won the Cash Box award for best rhythm and blues players in 1957, 1958, and 1959. She also arranged many bandleaders and performers, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lionel Hampton.
As a jazz player, Doggett started swing music and then played soul jazz. His bands include Red Holloway saxophonists, Clifford Scott, Percy France, David "Bubba" Brooks, Clifford Davis, and Floyd "Candy" Johnson; guitarists Floyd Smith, Billy Butler, Sam Lackey, and Pete Mayes; and singers Edwin Starr, Toni Williams and Betty Saint-Clair. Her greatest hits, "Honky Tonk" (Part 2 side of the recording) and "Slow Walk" featuring saxophonist Clifford Scott.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments