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Billy Valentine

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Misterbill999 (talk | contribs) at 21:52, 11 June 2023 (I deleted the last paragraph of the introduction, referring to the March 2023 release on Flying Dutchman. That Billy Valentine is not the subject of this article, but the Billy Valentine spoken of in the italicized caveat at the article’s beginning.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano

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.

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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b Lord, Tom. The Jazz Discography, Volume 11, pp. 1366; 1524. Lord Music Reference, 1996. At Google Books. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  7. ^ a b 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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