Billy Byers
William Mitchell Byers
May 1, 1927
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
May 1, 1996 (aged 69)
Malibu, California, U.S.
Career[edit]
Byers picked up trombone and played with Karl Kiffe before serving in the United States Army in 1944 and 1945.[3][2] In the second half of the 1940s he arranged and played trombone for Georgie Auld, Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Charlie Ventura, and Teddy Powell.[2] Following this he composed for WMGM (AM) radio and television in New York City.[2] In the middle of the 1950s he was in Paris arranging; he also led a session of his own, released as Jazz on the Left Bank, at this time.[1][2] Later in the 1950s in Europe he played with Harold Arlen (1959–1960) and with the orchestra of Quincy Jones.[2] He became Jones's assistant at Mercury Records in the 1960s, and arranged for Count Basie albums.[2] He also recorded some Duke Ellington standards on his own.[2] He toured Europe and Japan alongside Frank Sinatra in 1974.[2] Byers had extensive credits arranging and conducting for film,[2] and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations for City of Angels.[4]
Personal life[edit]
Byers died in Malibu, California, on May 1, 1996.[1] Material from his career is held by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.[1]