Billy Eckstine
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was an American jazz and pop singer, and a bandleader of the swing era. He was noted for his rich, resonant, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. Eckstine's recording of "I Apologize"was awarded 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 like Joe Williams, Arthur Prysock and Lou Rawls."...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth8 July 1914
CityPittsburgh, PA
CountryUnited States of America
I'm used to hearing myself. My own voice.
If you want to be a doctor, a lawyer you must go to college. But if you want to be a musician or such, study your craft. Study music.
Today the kids that are out now they make a hit record and they put them right out on the stage with 10,000 people out there and they don't know anything about the business yet.
I think a song that's got something to say. I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last. But I like a song that tells a story and has some meat to it, you know, that means something.
... Geniuses have a little extra something. There's that little something that you know is a little different.
When Byrd came out of there, he had written a lot things while he was in the hospital.
I was still in school at the time and Cab was very popular and everybody was doing Cab Calloway so I did.
My youngest daughter sings. She's going to be very good. She's graduated from Music School and she's been working down around and getting her feet wet, you know. I had her out with me for a year just showing her the ropes a little bit, but she's going to be all right.
When you're playing music, say for instance, you're playing a part of the band and you're looking at your music, your horn is down into the stand. This way, it's
You know, times change and the elements change along with it. The elements of success. And my son's very successful. He's doing very well. And I have a younger daughter who sings.
If you want to be a musician, study your craft. Study music.
I don't have perfect pitch, but I have relative pitch. I'm glad I don't have perfect pitch because perfect pitch can drive you crazy.
It was my band. I organized the band and Dizzy was in the band. Dizzy was the first musical director with the band. Charlie Parker was in the band. But, no, no, that was my band.
It taught me something. It taught you your craft.