ENDEIT
Billy May
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trumpeters · 1916–2004

Billy May

American composer, arranger and trumpeter (1916–2004)

Born
10 November 1916
Pittsburgh
Died
22 January 2004
San Juan Capistrano
Country
United States
Record labels
Capitol Records
Discography
15 albums

Biography

Billy May was a jazz musician who played trumpet. Billy May was born on 10 November 1916 in Pittsburgh and died on 22 January 2004 in San Juan Capistrano. The music is usually filed under jazz, swing and big band music. Record labels: Capitol Records. The discography here lists 15 albums, from “A Band Is Born” (1952) to “You May Swing (2021 Remastered Version)” (2021). Honours include Grammy Award for Best Arrangement (1959).

Edward William May Jr. (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for The Green Hornet (1966), The Mod Squad (1968), Batman (with Batgirl theme, 1967), and Naked City (1960). He collaborated on films such as Pennies from Heaven (1981), and orchestrated Cocoon, and Cocoon: The Return, among others. May wrote arrangements for many top singers, including Frank Sinatra, Yma Sumac, Nat King Cole, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, Vic Damone, Bobby Darin, Johnny Mercer, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Jack Jones, Bing Crosby, Sandler and Young, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, the Andrews Sisters and Ella Mae Morse. He also collaborated with satirist Stan Freberg on several classic 1950s and 1960s comedy music albums.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

A Band Is Born 1952 · Capitol Records Big Band Bash! 1952 · Capitol Records
Merry Andrew / Music of the Big Top Circus Band 1958
The Girls and Boys of Broadway 1960 · Capitol Records
Pow! 1962
Bill's Bag 1963 · Capitol Records Johnny Cool 1963 · United Artists Records The Green Hornet 1966 · 20th Century-Fox Records Today 1966 · Capitol Records The Girls & Boys on Broadway / The Sweetest Swingin' Sounds of 'No Strings' 1997 · EMI A Band Is Born / Big Band Bash 2000 · Collectors’ Choice Music Naughty Operetta / Plays for Fancy Dancin' 2000 You May Swing (2021 Remastered Version) 2021 Big Fat Brass · Music for Pleasure
Cha Cha!

Also plays on

Albums where Billy May is credited as a sideman

1954 Swing Easy! — Frank Sinatra arranger
1956 Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color — Frank Sinatra arranger
1958 Come Fly With Me — Frank Sinatra with Billy May and His Orchestra arranger, conductor
1958 Fancy Meeting You Here — Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney arranger, conductor
1958 Politely! — Keely Smith arranger
1959 Come Dance With Me! — Frank Sinatra with Billy May and His Orchestra arranger, conductor
1960 Bing & Satchmo — Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong arranger, conductor
1960 Something Wonderful — Nancy Wilson conductor
1960 Like in Love — Nancy Wilson conductor
1960 Anita O'Day and Billy May Swing Rodgers and Hart — Anita O’Day & Billy May arranger, conductor
1960 Once More With Feeling — Billy Eckstine arranger
1961 Come Swing With Me! — Frank Sinatra arranger, conductor
1961 Swing Along With Me — Frank Sinatra arranger, conductor
1961 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald arranger, conductor, performing orchestra
1962 The Lively Ones — Vic Damone conductor
1962 Horn-A-Plenty — Al Hirt with Orchestra arranged and conducted By Billy May arranger, conductor
1966 The Horn Meets the Hornet — Al Hirt arranger, conductor
1967 Francis A. & Edward K. — Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington arranger, conductor
1967 Lush Life — Nancy Wilson conductor
1980 Trilogy: Past Present Future — Frank Sinatra arranger, conductor
1980 Dance Time - Forty Three — Woody Herman and The Band That Played The Blues trumpet
1990 Two of a Kind — Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer arranger
1992 In Tribute — Diane Schuur arranger
1993 Cherokeely Swings — Keely Smith conductor
1997 Burnished Brass / Satin Brass — George Shearing arranger, conductor
1999 The Lively Ones / Strange Enchantment — Vic Damone conductor
2000 Clap Hands! Here Comes Rosie! / Fancy Meeting You Here — Rosemary Clooney arranger, conductor
2000 Politely! / Swingin’ Pretty — Keely Smith arranger
2003 Michael Bublé — Michael Bublé orchestrator
2004 The Nat King Cole Songbook — Sammy Davis Jr. arranger

Awards

  • 1959 Grammy Award for Best Arrangement

Historic 78 rpm records

  • "VERY 8 'N BOOGIE" La VERE'S CHICAGO LOOPERS · JOE YUKL · BILLY MAY · ARTIE SHAPIRO ·… archive.org ↗
  • Skind og ben THE OKEY DOKIES · Harry Arnolds orkester · Billy May · Robert Arnold archive.org ↗
  • UP A LAZY RIVER La VERE'S CHICAGO LOOPERS · JOE YUKL · BILLY MAY · ARTIE SHAPIRO ·… archive.org ↗
  • Baby Won't You Please Come Home LaVere's Chicago Loopers · Joe Venuti · Billy May · Artie Shapiro ·… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • Very 8 'N Boogie La Vere's Chicago Loopers · Joe Yukl · Billy May · Artie Shapiro ·… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • Subdivided in F La Vere's Chicago Loopers · Joe Venuti · Billy May · Artie Shapiro ·… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • Sunday La Vere's Chicago Loopers · Joe Venuti · Billy May · Artie Shapiro ·… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • September In the Rain Willie Smith and his Orchestra · Les Paul · Willie Smith · Billy May… · 1945 archive.org ↗

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Billy May play?

Billy May is known for playing trumpet.

When and where was Billy May born?

Billy May was born 10 November 1916 in Pittsburgh.

What are Billy May's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include A Band Is Born (1952), Big Band Bash! (1952), The Girls and Boys of Broadway (1960), Bill's Bag (1963) and Johnny Cool (1963).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.