| Billy Eckstine | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Eckstine, c. 1946 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Clarence Eckstein |
| Born | July 8, 1914 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 8, 1993 (aged 78) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, valve trombone, trumpet, guitar |
| Years active | 1939–1990 |
| Formerly of | The Billy Eckstine Orchestra |
William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993)[1] was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice.[2] In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award "for performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording". His recording of "I Apologize" (MGM, 1951) was given the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999. The New York Times described him as an "influential band leader" whose "suave bass-baritone" and "full-throated, sugary approach to popular songs inspired singers such as Earl Coleman, Johnny Hartman, Joe Williams, Arthur Prysock, and Lou Rawls."[3]
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 178. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Giddins, Gary (1998). Visions of Jazz: The First Century. Oxford University Press. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-19-971520-6.
- ^ The New York Times Biographical Service, Volume 24. New York Times & Arno Press. January 1993. p. 342.