Billy Guy

Billy Guy (June 20, 1936 - November 5, 2002) was an American singer.

Biography

Billy Guy is best known as a member of The Coasters, singing lead on such hits as "Searchin'," "Little Egypt," "Run Red Run," "Wait A Minute," among others. Before Guy joined The Coasters, he was part of a comedy singing duo called "Bip and Bop." One single was released on Aladdin Records in 1955 called "Ding Ding Dong" b/w "Du-Wada-Du." Guy also made a number of solo records during the 1960's and 1970's. He did about a dozen or so solo recordings in 1963 for Double-L Records which later show up on collections as by The Coasters, most notably the albums "Hungry" (Joy #189, 1971, released in the UK) and "It Ain't Sanitary" (Trip #8028, 1973).

He also produced records for others in the late 60's and early 70's, including "Love Won't Wear Off" (Calla Records) in 1968 by J. R. Bailey and a spoken words album by Universal Messengers called "An Experience In The Blackness Of Sound" (Turbo/All Platinum Records) about 1969. J. R. Bailey was a former member of The Cadillacs and writing partner of Vernon Harrell (who had replaced Billy Guy as a member of The Coasters in the 1960's on stage only). Guy and J. R. Bailey also had a record company called GuyJim Records. A single released by C. Alexander And The Natural 3 called "Pay Them No Mind" b/w "Somebody Special" was released on GuyJim Records. Another single by Guy was released as by The New Way called "Lookin' Like A Nut Nut" b/w "I'm Sorry 'Bout That" on GuyJim Records. In 1971, Guy released a new version of his 1967 Verve recording "Shake A Leg" on Bell Records. This record was released as by Happy and was also released as by Happy Cats.

Guy also released a comedy album on Snake Eyes/All Platinum Records in 1972 called "The Tramp Is Funky." And he produced a double-album by Pearl Box Revue called "Call Me Miss-ter" on Snake Eyes/All Platinum Records. These two records are X-rated material. On his single "The Ugly" b/w "Hug One Another" it states that the songs were from the album "A Little Of This, A Little Of That." In 1977, he appeared, along with Grady Chapman and Jerome Evans, on a recording "Paid The Price" by Michelle Phillips (of The Mamas And The Papas) on her album "Victim Of Romance."

Discography

ingles

* Ding Ding Dong/Du-Wada-Du (Aladdin #3287) (1955) (as Bip and Bop)
* As Quiet As It’s Kept/Here I Am (ABC Paramount #10320) (1962)
* It Don't Take Much/She’s A Humdinger (ABC Paramount #10397) (1962)
* Whip It On Me, Baby/Women (aka The Prophet) (Double-L #719) (1963)
* Foxy Lady/ (B-Side Unknown) (Chalco) (1960’s)
* I’m Sorry ‘Bout That/Lookin’ Like A Nut Nut (GuyJim #GJ-587) (about 1967) (as The New Way)
* Lookin’ Like A Nut Nut/Here ‘Tis (Sew City #109) (1967) (as Billy Guy & The Odds 'N' Ends)
* If You Want To Get Ahead, Shake A Leg/I’m Sorry About That (Verve #10485) (1967)
* Let Me Go Getto/ (No Side B) (All Platinum #2320) (1970)
* The Ugly/Hug One Another (All Platinum #2323) (1971)
* All I Need Is Love/Shake A Leg (Bell #124) (1971) (as Happy) (also released as Happy Cats)
* Watergate (Put Some Funk On, Cause The Money's Been Long Gone)/Hockey-Puck (Black Circle #102) (1970's) (produced by Billy Guy & H. B. Barnum) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)
* You Move Me/Take It Easy Greasy (Sal-Wa #1001) (1975) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)
* Ain’t No Greens In Harlem/Jumbo Bwana (Polydor #2040-273) (1977) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)

Albums

* Universal Messengers: An Experience In The Blackness Of Sound (Turbo/All Platinum) (about 1969) (produced only)
* A Little Of This And A Little Of That (All Platinum) (about 1971) (possibly unreleased)
* Hungry (Joy #189) (England) (1971) (includes solo tracks recorded in 1962) (released as by The Coasters)
* The Tramp Is Funky (Snake Eyes/All Platinum #9000) (1972)
* Pearl Box Revue: Call Me Misster (Snake Eyes/All Platinum #9001) (about 1972) (produced and appeared on album)
* It Ain’t Sanitary (Trip #8028) (1962) (includes solo tracks recorded in 1963) (released as by The Coasters) - reissue of Joy LP.
* The Coasters (Stateside #40028) (Germany) (1973) (all 16 solo tracks recorded in 1962) (released as by The Coasters)
* Michelle Phillips: Victim Of Romance (A&M #4651) (1977) (backup vocals on "Paid The Price" track)

Book references

* The Coasters (by Bill Millar) (Star Books) (1974)
* L. A. R&B Vocal Groups 1945-1965 (by Steve Propes and Galen Gart) (Big Nickel Publications) (2001)

External links

* [http://www.angelfire.com/mn/coasters The Coasters Web Site]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3e851v7jzzma/ All Music Guide]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Guy&GSfn=Billy&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=9724316& Find A Grave Memorial]