Belford Hendricks | |
|---|---|
| Also known as |
|
| Born | May 11, 1909 Evansville, Indiana |
| Origin | New York |
| Died | September 24, 1977 (aged 68) |
| Genres | R&B, swing, blues, pop, country and western, soul |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Years active | 1930s–1960s |
| Labels | Mercury, Columbia |
| Spouse |
Mae Etta Bean (divorced) |
Belford Cabell "Sinky" Hendricks (May 11, 1909 – September 24, 1977) was an American composer, pianist, arranger, conductor and record producer. He used a variety of names, including Belford Hendricks, Belford Cabell Hendricks, Belford Clifford Hendricks, Sinky Hendricks, and Bill Henry.
Hendricks is primarily remembered as the co-composer of numerous soft-R&B songs of the 1950s, many in collaboration with Clyde Otis and Brook Benton, and as an accomplished arranger. His versatility allowed him to write in various styles, from big band swing for Count Basie, through blues ballads for Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan, R&B-influenced pop for Benton and country and western numbers for Nat King Cole and Al Martino, to early soul for Aretha Franklin. His most successful songs are "Looking Back" and "It's Just a Matter of Time", both co-written with Otis and Benton.