Billy Bland
Encyclopedia
Billy Bland is an American
R&B
singer and songwriter
.
, and sang with a group called The Four Bees in the 1950s on New Orleans's Imperial Records
. He left the group for a solo
career in 1955 and signed a recording contract
with Old Town Records.
In 1960, Bland heard Titus Turner
recording
the song
"Let the Little Girl Dance" in the studio
, and demonstrated for Turner how to sing it (along with guitarist
Mickey Baker
and other session musician
s). The event was recorded by record producer
Henry Glover
, and was eventually released as a single
. The tune was a hit
in the U.S.
, peaking at #11 on the Black Singles chart
and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100
. Bland had two other minor hits that year, "Harmony" (U.S. Hot 100 #91) and "You Were Born to Be Loved" (U.S. Hot 100 #94). He recorded until 1963 for Old Town, and then quit the music industry.
In the 1980s, he ran a soul food
restaurant in Harlem
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Life and career
Bland first sang professionally in the 1940s in New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and sang with a group called The Four Bees in the 1950s on New Orleans's Imperial Records
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
. He left the group for a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career in 1955 and signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Old Town Records.
In 1960, Bland heard Titus Turner
Titus Turner
Titus Turner was an American R&B and East Coast blues singer and songwriter. His best remembered recordings were "We Told You Not To Marry" and "Sound-Off," plus he wrote "Leave My Kitten Alone," and "Tell Me Why."...
recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Let the Little Girl Dance" in the studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, and demonstrated for Turner how to sing it (along with guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Mickey Baker
Mickey Baker
Mickey Baker, also known as Mickey "Guitar" Baker is an American guitarist...
and other session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s). The event was recorded by record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Henry Glover
Henry Glover
Henry Glover was an American songwriter, arranger, record producer and trumpet player. In the music industry of the time, Glover was one of the more successful, and influential, black executives. He gained eminence in the late 1940s, primarily working for the independent King label...
, and was eventually released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The tune was a hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, peaking at #11 on the Black Singles chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Bland had two other minor hits that year, "Harmony" (U.S. Hot 100 #91) and "You Were Born to Be Loved" (U.S. Hot 100 #94). He recorded until 1963 for Old Town, and then quit the music industry.
In the 1980s, he ran a soul food
Soul food
Soul food cuisine consists of a selection of foods traditional in the cuisine of African Americans. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States...
restaurant in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
.