Billy Boy Arnold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Boy Arnold
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Arnold in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Arnold |
| Born | September 16, 1935 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1952–present |
| Relatives | Jerome Arnold (brother) |
William "Billy Boy" Arnold (born September 16, 1935) is an American blues musician. He plays the harmonica and also sings and writes songs. Billy Boy Arnold taught himself how to play the harmonica. He has worked with many famous blues musicians. Some of these include Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters.
About Billy Boy Arnold
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Billy Boy Arnold was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of 16 children in his family. He started playing the harmonica when he was a child. In 1948, he got some informal lessons from his neighbor, Sonny Boy Williamson I. This was shortly before Sonny Boy Williamson passed away.
Billy Boy Arnold first recorded music in 1952. His first song was "Hello Stranger" on a small record label called Cool. The record company gave him the nickname "Billy Boy."
In the early 1950s, he teamed up with another musician named Bo Diddley. Billy Boy played harmonica on Bo Diddley's famous song "I'm a Man." This song was recorded on March 2, 1955. On the same day, Billy Boy recorded his own song, "You Got to Love Me." However, this song was not released until much later, in 1992.
Later, Billy Boy Arnold signed a solo record deal with Vee-Jay Records. He recorded his original songs "I Wish You Would" and "I Ain’t Got You." Other famous bands later covered these songs. For example, the Yardbirds covered both songs. David Bowie also recorded "I Wish You Would" on his 1973 album Pin Ups. The band Sweet also covered it in 1982.
In the late 1950s, Billy Boy Arnold kept playing music in Chicago clubs. In 1963, he recorded an album called More Blues From The South Side. This album was for the Prestige label. As it became harder to find music gigs, he also worked other jobs. He became a bus driver and later worked as a parole officer.
By the 1970s, Billy Boy Arnold started playing at music festivals. He also toured Europe and began recording music again. He was part of a group called American Blues Legends '75. He even recorded a session for a BBC Radio 1 DJ named John Peel in 1977. In 1979, he recorded songs that later became his 1999 album Catfish.
In 1993, he released the album Back Where I Belong with Alligator Records. After that, he released Eldorado Cadillac in 1995. In 2001, he released Boogie ’n’ Shuffle with the Duke Robillard Band. In 2012, he released Blue and Lonesome. He also released The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold in 2014.
In 2014, he was nominated for a Blues Music Award. This award was for "Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year."
In 2021, a book about Billy Boy Arnold's life was published. It is called "The Blues Dream of Billy Boy Arnold." He wrote it with Kim Field.
His younger brother, Jerome Arnold, is a bass player. They have recorded music together.
Discography
This is a list of albums Billy Boy Arnold has released.
Studio albums
- More Blues on the South Side (Prestige, 1966)
- Kings of Chicago Blues Vol. 3 (Vogue, 1973)
- Blow the Back Off It (Red Lightnin', 1975)
- Checkin' It Out (Red Lightnin', 1979)
- Ten Million Dollars (Blue Phoenix, 1984)
- Back Where I Belong (Alligator, 1993)
- Eldorado Cadillac (Alligator, 1995)
- Boogie 'n' Shuffle (Stony Plain, 2001)
- Consolidated Mojo (Electro-Fi, 2005)
- Billy Boy Arnold Sings Sonny Boy (Electro-Fi, 2008)
- Billy Boy Arnold Sings Big Bill Broonzy (Electro-Fi, 2012)
- The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold (Stony Plain, 2014)
Live albums
- Live at the Venue 1990 (Catfish, 2000)
Compilation albums
- American Blues Legends '75 (with various artists, Big Bear, 1975)
- Crying and Pleading (Charly, 1980)
- Goin' to Chicago (Testament, 1995)
- Catfish (Catfish, 1999)
- Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowouts – "Still Here and Gone" 1993–2007 (live with various artists, Electro-Fi, 2007)
- Remembering Little Walter (with various artists, Blind Pig, 2013)
See also
In Spanish: Billy Boy Arnold para niños
