Billy Eckstine

Real Name:
William Clarence Eckstein
Profile:
Born : July 8, 1914 // Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Died : March 8, 1993 // Pittsburgh, PA, United States

US American Jazz singer & bandleader noted during the swing area for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice
Eckstine, the son of a Pittsburg chauffeur and seamstress, began his singing career in a church bazaar at the age of eleven. The family moved to Washington, where he ran errands at the Howard Theater for Ethel Waters- earning enough pocket money to enter a talent contest, which he won in 1932.

He quit school and joined the Tommy Miles Band, learning the trumpet to support his vocals. Bandleader Earl Hines heard Eckstine at the De Lizza Club and added him to his band's line-up, with whom he recorded 'Skylark' which outsold the Glenn Miller version. Eckstine's growing success enabled him to open his own club on New York's 52nd Street, which eventually closed due to crippling entertainment taxes. He then took to the road with his own historic band, helping pave the way for the bebop/modern jazz style movement with its musical arranger John Birks Gillespie.

With Eckstine handling the vocals, along with Sarah Vaughn, the line-up included trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham; saxophonists Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Lucky Thompson, Charlie Parker and Leo Parker; drummer Art Blakey; bassist Tommy Potter; pianist John Malaclin and arrangers Budd Johnson, Tadd Dameron and Jerry Valentin. In the three and a half years this band was together Eckstine made his mark as a sell-out concert singer, as well as starting fashion trends with his sharp-suited dress style that would hold him in good stead throughout his popular solo career.
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Artist

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Albums

NLP 2001 Billy Eckstine Sings — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Sings(10") National Records (2) NLP 2001 US 1949 Sell This Version
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MGM K76 Billy Eckstine Favorites — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Favorites MGM Records MGM K76 US 1950 Sell This Version
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48 Songs By Billy Eckstine — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Songs By Billy Eckstine (Album) MGM Records 48 US 1950 Sell This Version
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E-153 Love Songs By Rodgers And Hammerstein — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Love Songs By Rodgers And Hammerstein (Album) MGM Records E-153 US 1952 Sell This Version
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E-219 Sings Billy Eckstine Sings "Tenderly" MGM Records E-219 Canada 1953 Sell This Version
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X257 I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine With The Pied Pipers Orchestra Billy Eckstine With The Pied Pipers Orchestra - I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart (Album, EP) MGM Records X257 US 1954 Sell This Version
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MG 36029 Blues For Sale — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Blues For Sale (Album) EmArcy MG 36029 US 1954 Sell This Version
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E-3275 That Old Feeling — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine That Old Feeling (Album) MGM Records E-3275 US 1955 Sell This Version
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E3176, M-G-M E3176 Mr. B. With A Beat — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Sings With George Shearing Quintet*, Woody Herman And His Orchestra, The Metronome All Stars* Billy Eckstine Sings With George Shearing Quintet*, Woody Herman And His Orchestra, The Metronome All Stars* - Mr. B. With A Beat (Album) MGM Records, MGM Records E3176, M-G-M E3176 US 1955 Sell This Version
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MG 26027 The Love Songs Of Mr. Billy Eckstine The Love Songs Of Mr. "B" (Comp) EmArcy MG 26027 Australia 1955 Sell This Version
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MG 36010 I Surrender Dear — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine I Surrender Dear(LP, Mono) EmArcy MG 36010 US 1955 Sell This Version
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RMG-6052 Prisoner Of Love — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Prisoner Of Love(LP, Album, Mono) Regent RMG-6052 US 1957 Sell This Version
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MG 6054 My Deep Blue Dream — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine My Deep Blue Dream(LP, Album, Mono) Regent MG 6054 US 1957 Sell This Version
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MG 36129 Billy Eckstine's Imagination — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine's Imagination (Album) EmArcy MG 36129 US 1958 Sell This Version
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MG 20333 Billy's Best — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Billy's Best (Comp, Album) Mercury, Mercury MG 20333 Australia 1958 Sell This Version
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MDS2-9 Sing The Best Of Irving Berlin — Billy Eckstine Sarah Vaughan And Billy Eckstine Sarah Vaughan And Billy Eckstine - Sing The Best Of Irving Berlin (Album, EP) Mercury, Mercury MDS2-9 US 1957 Sell This Version
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RL-52029 Basie/Eckstine, Inc. — Billy Eckstine Count Basie and Billy Eckstine Count Basie and Billy Eckstine - Basie/Eckstine, Inc. (Album, Comp) Roulette RL-52029 Australia 1959 Sell This Version
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L70088 Billy & Sarah — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine And Sarah Vaughan Billy Eckstine And Sarah Vaughan - Billy & Sarah (Album, Comp) Lion Records (4) L70088 US 1959 Sell This Version
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R 25104 Once More With Feeling — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Once More With Feeling (Album) Roulette R 25104 Canada 1960 Sell This Version
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SR 52052, SR-52052 No Cover, No Minimum — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine No Cover, No Minimum (Album) Roulette SR 52052, SR-52052 Canada 1960 Sell This Version
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MG 20637, MG-20637 Broadway Bongos And Mr. Billy Eckstine With Hal Mooney And His Orchestra Billy Eckstine With Hal Mooney And His Orchestra - Broadway Bongos And Mr. "B" Mercury, Mercury MG 20637, MG-20637 US 1961 Sell This Version
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SR-60736, SR 60736 Don't Worry 'Bout Me — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Don't Worry 'Bout Me (Album, Single) Mercury, Mercury SR-60736, SR 60736 US 1962 Sell This Version
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MVL 310 , 124 510 MFL At Basin Street East — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine & Quincy Jones Billy Eckstine & Quincy Jones - At Basin Street East (Album) Mercury, Mercury MVL 310 , 124 510 MFL UK 1962 Sell This Version
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SR 60834 Now Singing In 10 Great Movies — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine Now Singing In 10 Great Movies (Album) Mercury SR 60834 US 1963 Sell This Version
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MG20796 The Golden Hits Of Billy Eckstine — Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine The Golden Hits Of Billy Eckstine (Album) Mercury MG20796 US 1963 Sell This Version