Billy Strange
Encyclopedia
William E. "Billy" Strange (born 1930, Long Beach, California
) is an American
singer, songwriter
, guitar
ist and actor
.
to write several hit songs for Elvis Presley
including "A Little Less Conversation
", the theme from Charro!
, and "Memories". Strange also composed the musical soundtrack for two of Elvis' films Live a Little, Love a Little
and The Trouble with Girls. He also wrote "Limbo Rock
" for Chubby Checker
.
Strange recorded many cover version
s of James Bond
movie themes for GNP Crescendo Records
and provided the instrumental backing and arrangement for Nancy Sinatra
's non soundtrack version of "You Only Live Twice
" as well as Nancy and Frank's "Somethin' Stupid
". He has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
for his pioneering contribution to the genre.
Billy Strange was inducted into the Musicians Hall Of Fame & Museum.
Strange played guitar on numerous Beach Boys hits including "Sloop John B
" and the groundbreaking Pet Sounds
album. He has also played guitar for Nancy Sinatra
, Jan & Dean, The Ventures
, Willie Nelson
, The Everly Brothers
, Wanda Jackson
, Randy Newman
and Nat King Cole
among others. One of his most famous performances is on Nancy Sinatra
's version of Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
.
Strange arranged and conducted all of Nancy Sinatra
's Reprise albums as well as Nancy & Lee's 1972 RCA Records release, Nancy & Lee Again and their 2003 album, Nancy & Lee 3. He also arranged the 1981 Nancy Sinatra
& Mel Tillis
album, Mel & Nancy. He has arranged and conducted for Frank Sinatra
, Dean Martin
, Sammy Davis Jr., Duane Eddy, and Elvis Presley
. One of his most famous arrangements was "These Boots are made for Walkin'" for Nancy Sinatra
. Strange also performed the vocals for Steve McQueen
in Baby the Rain Must Fall
.
Also married to Betty Jo Conrad from 1960-1978. (stepson: Jerry Joseph Mitchell 10/23/1954 & Daughter: Kelly Kimberly Strange 11/11/1964)
Great Western Themes
The James Bond Theme / Walk Don't Run '64
English Hits of '65
In the Mexican Bag
Billy Strange and The Challengers
"
Strange Country
12 String Guitar
Railroad Man
Secret Agent File (compilation)
Mr Guitar
Super Scary Monster Party (compilation)
Goldfinger
James Bond Double Feature
De Sade (film soundtrack)
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, 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...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Recordings and songwriting
Strange teamed up with Mac DavisMac Davis
Mac Davis is a country music singer, songwriter, and actor originally from Lubbock, Texas who has enjoyed much crossover success...
to write several hit songs for Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
including "A Little Less Conversation
A Little Less Conversation
"A Little Less Conversation" is a song written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange that was originally performed and written for American rock and roll icon Elvis Presley for the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little. When the song was released as a single with "Almost in Love" as the b-side, it became...
", the theme from Charro!
Charro!
Charro! is a 1969 Western film starring Elvis Presley. It was his only role that didn't feature him singing on-screen, and is the only Presley film to feature no songs at all except for the main title theme. It also features a bearded Presley for the first and last time in any of his films.The film...
, and "Memories". Strange also composed the musical soundtrack for two of Elvis' films Live a Little, Love a Little
Live a Little, Love a Little
Live A Little, Love A Little is a 1968 musical comedy starring Elvis Presley. It was directed by Norman Taurog, who had directed several previous Presley films. This was to be Taurog's final film. Shortly thereafter, he went blind...
and The Trouble with Girls. He also wrote "Limbo Rock
Limbo Rock
"Limbo Rock" is a popular song about limbo dancing written by Kal Mann and Billy Strange. An instrumental version was first recorded by The Champs in 1961. The first vocal version was recorded in 1962 by Chubby Checker : it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number one on the...
" for Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
.
Strange recorded many cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie themes for GNP Crescendo Records
GNP Crescendo Record Co.
GNP Crescendo Record Co. is an American record label based in Hollywood, California. Its catalog primarily consists of jazz records, as well as motion picture and television soundtracks and film scores, mostly in science fiction, fantasy and horror....
and provided the instrumental backing and arrangement for Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
's non soundtrack version of "You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (soundtrack)
You Only Live Twice is the soundtrack for the 5th James Bond film of the same name. It was composed by Bond veteran, John Barry. At the time, this was his fourth credited Bond film. The theme song, "You Only Live Twice", was sung by Nancy Sinatra, with music by John Barry and lyrics by Leslie...
" as well as Nancy and Frank's "Somethin' Stupid
Somethin' Stupid
"Somethin' Stupid" is a song written by C. Carson Parks and originally recorded in 1966 by Parks and his wife Gaile Foote, as "Carson and Gaile". It is best known in the hit version by Frank Sinatra and his daughter, Nancy Sinatra....
". He has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
for his pioneering contribution to the genre.
Billy Strange was inducted into the Musicians Hall Of Fame & Museum.
Strange played guitar on numerous Beach Boys hits including "Sloop John B
Sloop John B
"Sloop John B" is the seventh track on The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album and was also a single which was released in 1966 on Capitol Records. It was originally a traditional West Indies folk song, "The John B. Sails," taken from a collection by Carl Sandburg . Alan Lomax made a field recording of...
" and the groundbreaking Pet Sounds
Pet Sounds
Pet Sounds is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band The Beach Boys, released May 16, 1966, on Capitol Records. It has since been recognized as one of the most influential records in the history of popular music and one of the best albums of the 1960s, including songs such as "Wouldn't...
album. He has also played guitar for Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, Jan & Dean, The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
, Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist...
, Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
and Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
among others. One of his most famous performances is on Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
's version of Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
"Bang Bang " is the second single by singer-actress Cher from her second studio album The Sonny Side of Chér. The song was written by Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100...
.
Strange arranged and conducted all of Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
's Reprise albums as well as Nancy & Lee's 1972 RCA Records release, Nancy & Lee Again and their 2003 album, Nancy & Lee 3. He also arranged the 1981 Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
& Mel Tillis
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
album, Mel & Nancy. He has arranged and conducted for Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Sammy Davis Jr., Duane Eddy, and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. One of his most famous arrangements was "These Boots are made for Walkin'" for Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
. Strange also performed the vocals for Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
in Baby the Rain Must Fall
Baby the Rain Must Fall
Baby the Rain Must Fall is a 1965 American drama film starring Steve McQueen, directed by Robert Mulligan. Dramatist Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay, based it on his play The Travelling Lady.-Plot:...
.
Personal life
Strange was married to singer and actress Joan O'Brien from 1954-1955. (child: Russell Glen Strange 10/04/1955)Also married to Betty Jo Conrad from 1960-1978. (stepson: Jerry Joseph Mitchell 10/23/1954 & Daughter: Kelly Kimberly Strange 11/11/1964)
Selected discography
Billy Strange Plays Roger MillerGreat Western Themes
The James Bond Theme / Walk Don't Run '64
English Hits of '65
In the Mexican Bag
Billy Strange and The Challengers
The Challengers (band)
The Challengers were an instrumental surf music band started in late 1962. They were located in Los Angeles. They represented a growing love for surf music and helped make the genre popular...
"
Strange Country
12 String Guitar
Railroad Man
Secret Agent File (compilation)
Mr Guitar
Super Scary Monster Party (compilation)
Goldfinger
James Bond Double Feature
De Sade (film soundtrack)