Billy Valentine

William A. Valentine (born December 16, 1925), also known as Billy Valentine and Billy Vee,[1] is an American blues, R&B and jazz pianist and singer.

This article is about the blues and jazz musician. For Billy Valentine who was a member of the 1970s and 80s soul due, see The Valentine Brothers.
Billy Valentine
Birth nameWilliam A. Valentine
Born(1925-12-16)December 16, 1925
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Genres
  • Blues
  • R&B
  • jazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano

Valentine was born in Birmingham, Alabama on December 16, 1925.[1][2] In 1948, Valentine replaced Charles Brown in Johnny Moore's Three Blazers,[3] then featuring jazz guitarist Oscar Moore. In 1950 that line-up did a couple of recording sessions for RCA Victor before embarking on a 50-date tour.[4] The "R & B Blue Notes" section of the May 27, 1950 issue of The Billboard, in announcing the tour, stated that Valentine had also recorded for Mercury Records[4] (Mercury 8173[5]). The note added that the Blazers would be joined by Hal "Cornbread" Singer for part of the tour.[4] The same line-up accompanied Mari Jones, Maxwell Davies (probably) and the former Nat King Cole Trio bassist Johnny Miller for a recording session in Los Angeles in 1952.[6]

In 1956, as Billy Vee, he recorded for King Records.[1]

In 1958, Valentine appeared as pianist on a February 1958 New York recording session with Bubber Johnson, Eric Dixon, Charles Jackson, Skeeter Best, Ruth Berman, Wendell Marshall and Panama Francis, accompanied by a choir.[6]

Coltrane

Jazz saxophonist Big Nick Nicholas mentioned to jazz archivist Phil Schaap a 1949/1950 New York recording session at which Valentine led a group featuring John Coltrane.[7] Other musicians at session were possibly John Collins or Floyd Smith on guitar, possibly Ray Brown on bass and possibly Charles "Specs" Wright on drums.[7]

References
  1. Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 370. ISBN 978-0313344237. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  2. "William A. Valentine". U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. Hoffmann, Frank. Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop, p. 143. Infobase Publishing, 2005. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  4. Billboard, 27 May 1950, 166 pages. ISSN 0006-2510. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  5. Gart, Galen. First Pressings: The History of Rhythm and Blues: 1950. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  6. Lord, Tom. The Jazz Discography, Volume 11, pp. 1366; 1524. Lord Music Reference, 1996. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  7. Porter, Lewis; Chris DeVito, David Wild, Yasuhiro Fujioka, Wolf Schmaler. The John Coltrane Reference, pp. 43, 374-6. Routledge, 2013. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
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