Biography

Billy Guy is best known as a member of The Coasters

The Coasters

The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group that had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and "Young Blood", their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing team of Leiber and Stoller...

, singing lead on such hits as "Searchin'," "Little Egypt," "Run Red Run," "Wait A Minute," among others. Before Guy joined The Coasters in 1955, he was part of a comedy singing duo called "Bip and Bop." One single called "Ding Ding Dong" b/w "Du-Wada-Du" was released on Aladdin Records

Aladdin Records (US)

Aladdin Records was a post-World War II United States record label, with headquarters in Hollywood, California. The label was founded in 1945 by brothers Eddie, Leo, and Ira Mesner and was originally called Philo Records, before changing to its better-known name in April 1946.Aladdin Records...

 in 1955. Guy also made a number of solo records during the 1960s and 1970s. He did about a dozen or so solo recordings in 1963 for Double-L Records which later show up on collections as by The Coasters, most notably the albums "Hungry" (Joy #189, 1971, released in the UK) and "It Ain't Sanitary" (Trip #8028, 1973).

He also produced records for others in the late 60s and early 70s, including "Love Won't Wear Off" (Calla Records) in 1968 by J. R. Bailey

J. R. Bailey

- Biography :J. R. had been a member of doo wop groups The Halos, The Cadillacs, and The Crickets , and also recorded as a solo artist...

 and a spoken words album by Universal Messengers called "An Experience In The Blackness Of Sound" (Turbo/All Platinum Records) about 1969. J. R. Bailey was a former member of The Cadillacs

The Cadillacs

The Cadillacs were an American rock and roll and doo-wop group from Harlem, New York; active from 1953 to 1962. The group was noted for their 1955 hit "Speedoo", which was instrumental in attracting White audiences to Black rock and roll performers.-History:...

 and writing partner of Vernon Harrell

Vernon Harrell

-Biography:Harrell was from New York and released several singles in the 1960s and 1970s. He also goes by the name Keidar Syenon Harrell. He co-wrote songs with J. R. Bailey...

 (who had replaced Billy Guy as a member of The Coasters in the 1960s on stage only). Guy and J. R. Bailey also had a record company called GuyJim Records. A single released by C. Alexander And The Natural 3 called "Pay Them No Mind" b/w "Somebody Special" was released on GuyJim Records. Another single by Guy was released as by The New Way called "Lookin' Like A Nut Nut" b/w "I'm Sorry 'Bout That" on GuyJim Records. In 1971, Guy released a new version of his 1967 Verve recording "Shake A Leg" on Bell Records. This record was released as by Happy and was also released as by Happy Cats.

Guy also released a comedy album on Snake Eyes/All Platinum Records

All Platinum Records

All Platinum Records was one of the labels which was started by Sylvia Robinson before she started Sugar Hill Records.All Platinum purchased Chess Records in the early 1970s after the latter fell into bankruptcy; however, All Platinum was a much smaller label and was unable to keep releasing steady...

 in 1972 called "The Tramp Is Funky." And he produced a double-album by Pearl Box Revue called "Call Me Miss-ter" on Snake Eyes/All Platinum Records, which was a spoken word album with four drag queen

Drag queen

A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...

s, including Dorian Corey

Dorian Corey

Dorian Corey was an American crossdresser performer and designer featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning.Corey grew up in Buffalo, New York...

. These two records are X-rated

X-rated

In some countries, X is or has been a motion picture rating reserved for the most explicit films. Films rated X are intended only for viewing by adults, usually legally defined as people over the age of 17.-United Kingdom:...

 material. On his single "The Ugly" b/w "Hug One Another" it states that the songs were from the album "A Little Of This, A Little Of That." In 1977, he appeared, along with Grady Chapman

Grady Chapman

Grady Chapman was best known as the American lead singer of doo wop group The Robins.-Biography:Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Chapman joined The Robins in 1952, singing alongside Bobby Nunn, Billy Richards, Roy Richards, Ty Terrell, and later Carl Gardner...

 and Jerome Evans

Jerome Evans (singer)

Jerome Evans was an American R&B and doo-wop singer of the 1960s and 1970s. He was born Jerome Albert Evans Sr.-Biography:...

, on a recording "Paid The Price" by Michelle Phillips

Michelle Phillips

Michelle Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame as a member of the 1960s group The Mamas & the Papas, and is the last surviving original member of the group.-Early life:...

 (of The Mamas And The Papas) on her album "Victim Of Romance."

Singles

• Ding Ding Dong/Du-Wada-Du (Aladdin #3287) (1955) (as Bip and Bop)
• As Quiet As It’s Kept/Here I Am (ABC Paramount #10320) (1962)
• It Don't Take Much/She’s A Humdinger (ABC Paramount #10397) (1962)
• Whip It On Me, Baby/Women (aka The Prophet) (Double-L #719) (1963)
• Foxy Lady/ (B-Side Unknown) (Chalco) (1960s)
• I’m Sorry ‘Bout That/Lookin’ Like A Nut Nut (GuyJim #GJ-587) (about 1967) (as The New Way)
• Lookin’ Like A Nut Nut/Here ‘Tis (Sew City #109) (1967) (as Billy Guy & The Odds 'N' Ends)
• If You Want To Get Ahead, Shake A Leg/I’m Sorry About That (Verve #10485) (1967)
• Let Me Go Getto/ (No Side B) (All Platinum #2320) (1970)
• The Ugly/Hug One Another (All Platinum #2323) (1971)
• All I Need Is Love/Shake A Leg (Bell #124) (1971) (as Happy) (also released as Happy Cats)
• Watergate (Put Some Funk On, Cause The Money's Been Long Gone)/Hockey-Puck (Black Circle #102) (1970's) (produced by Billy Guy & H. B. Barnum
  H. B. Barnum
  H. B. Barnum is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor....
  
  ) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)
• You Move Me/Take It Easy Greasy (Sal-Wa #1001) (1975) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)
• Ain’t No Greens In Harlem/Jumbo Bwana (Polydor #2040-273) (1977) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)

Albums

• Various Artists: Washington Committee (Double L #DL-2302) (Promo LP) (1963) (includes "Women" and "Whip It On Me Baby")
• Universal Messengers: An Experience In The Blackness Of Sound (Turbo/All Platinum) (about 1969) (produced only)
• A Little Of This And A Little Of That (All Platinum) (about 1971) (possibly unreleased)
• Hungry (Joy #189) (England) (1971) (includes solo tracks recorded in 1962) (released as by The Coasters)
• The Tramp Is Funky (Snake Eyes/All Platinum #9000) (1972)
• Pearl Box Revue: Call Me Misster (Snake Eyes/All Platinum #9001) (about 1972) (produced and appeared on album)
• It Ain’t Sanitary (Trip #8028) (1962) (includes solo tracks recorded in 1963) (released as by The Coasters) - reissue of Joy LP.
• The Coasters (Stateside #40028) (Germany) (1973) (all 16 solo tracks recorded in 1962) (released as by The Coasters)
• Michelle Phillips: Victim Of Romance (A&M #4651) (1977) (backup vocals on "Paid The Price" track)
• Various Artists: Buttshakers Volume 2 (Mr. Luckee) (includes "Lookin' Like A Nut Nut")

External links

• The Coasters Web Site
• [ Allmusic]
• Find A Grave Memorial