Billy May

Edward William May Jr. (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for The Green Hornet (1966), The Mod Squad (1968), Batman (with Batgirl theme, 1967), and Naked City (1960). He collaborated on films such as Pennies from Heaven (1981), and orchestrated Cocoon, and Cocoon: The Return, among others.

May wrote arrangements for many top singers, including Frank Sinatra, Yma Sumac, Nat King Cole, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, Vic Damone, Bobby Darin, Johnny Mercer, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Jack Jones, Bing Crosby, Sandler and Young, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, The Andrews Sisters and Ella Mae Morse. He also collaborated with satirist Stan Freberg on several classic 1950s and 1960s comedy music albums.

As a trumpet player in the 1940s Big Band era, May recorded such songs as "Measure for Measure", "Long Tall Mama", and "Boom Shot", with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, and "The Wrong Idea", "Lumby", and "Wings Over Manhattan" with Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra. With his own band, he had a hit single, "Charmaine". In the 1950s he released several successful albums of his unique orchestral arrangements and compositions, including Sorta-May and Sorta-Dixie.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 10, 1916 (Pittsburgh), Died January 22, 2004 (San Juan Capistrano)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1939 - 1959

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, arranger, leader, composer, songwriter, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 165 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-068789 10-in. 1/8/1942 Skylark Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068790 10-in. 1/8/1942 When the roses bloom again Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068791 10-in. 1/8/1942 Always in my heart Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068833 10-in. 1/5/1942 The president's birthday ball Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068834 10-in. 1/5/1942 Angels of mercy Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068835 10-in. 1/8/1942 Dear Mom Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068836 10-in. 1/5/1942 On the old assembly line Tex Beneke ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-068837 10-in. 1/5/1942 Let's have another cup o' coffee Ernie Caceres ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071190 10-in. 10/20/1941 Dreamsville, Ohio Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and mixed vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071191 10-in. 10/20/1941 Papa Niccolini (The happy cobbler) Tex Beneke ; Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solos and mixed vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071192 10-in. 10/20/1941 Jingle bells Tex Beneke ; Ernie Caceres ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solos and mixed vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071193 10-in. 10/20/1941 This is no laughing matter Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071860 10-in. 2/18/1942 Shhh, it's a military secret Tex Beneke ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with female-male duet and mixed vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071861 10-in. 2/18/1942 Don't sit under the apple tree (with anyone else but me) Tex Beneke ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071862 10-in. 2/18/1942 She'll always remember Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and mixed vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071863 10-in. 2/18/1942 The lamplighter's serenade Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-071864 10-in. 2/18/1942 When Johnny comes marching home Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074740 10-in. 7/15/1942 That old black magic Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires ; Skip Nelson Male vocal solo with male vocal quartet and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074741 10-in. 7/15/1942 Moonlight becomes you Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires ; Skip Nelson Male vocal solo with male vocal quartet and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074742 10-in. 7/15/1942 Juke box Saturday night Tex Beneke ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton ; Modernaires Female-male vocal duet with male vocal quartet and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074743 10-in. 7/15/1942 Must be jelly ('cause jam don't shake like that) Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074744 10-in. 7/16/1942 I'm old fashioned Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Skip Nelson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074745 10-in. 7/16/1942 A pink cocktail for a blue lady Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Skip Nelson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074746 10-in. 7/16/1942 Rainbow rhapsody Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-074747 10-in. 7/16/1942 Sleepy town train Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 126-150 of 165 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "May, Billy," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104862.

May, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104862.

"May, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104862

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