Billy Vaughn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Vaughn
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Vaughn with Gale Storm on The Gale Storm Show in 1958. He and Storm worked together to write a song, "You're My Baby Doll", which they performed on the show.
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| Born | April 12, 1919 Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Died | September 26, 1991 (aged 72) Escondido, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Multi-instrumentalist, orchestra leader, record executive, singer |
| Musical career | |
| Years active | 1952–1972 |
| Labels | Dot, London |
William Vaughn, known to many as Billy Vaughn, was an American musician, singer, and leader of an orchestra. He was also an A&R man for Dot Records, which means he helped find new musical talent and guide their recordings. Billy Vaughn was born on April 12, 1919, and passed away on September 26, 1991.
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Billy Vaughn's Early Life and Music Journey
Billy Vaughn was born in Glasgow, Kentucky, in the United States. His dad, Alvis Radford Vaughn, was a barber who loved music. This love for music inspired Billy to learn the mandolin when he was just three years old, even while he was sick with measles. As he grew up, he taught himself to play many other instruments, including the guitar and the alto saxophone, which became his main instruments.
In 1941, Billy joined the United States National Guard. This was supposed to be for one year, but when World War II started, he stayed in the army. He was a very important musician and composer at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. A general decided that Billy was too valuable to the base's big band, so he kept him at Camp Shelby for the whole war.
After the war, Billy decided to make music his career. He used the GI Bill to go to Western Kentucky State College (now Western Kentucky University). He studied how to compose music. To earn money while studying, he sometimes worked as a barber, just like his dad. He also played the piano at local night clubs.
While he was a student, three other students named Jimmy Sacca, Donald McGuire, and Seymour Spiegelman formed a singing group called the Hilltoppers. They asked Billy to play piano with them. Soon, he also started singing with them, turning the trio into a quartet. As part of the group, he wrote their first popular song, "Trying", which became a hit in 1952.
Leading His Own Orchestra
In 1954, Billy Vaughn left The Hilltoppers to work as a music director for Dot Records in Gallatin, Tennessee. In the same year, he started his own orchestra. They had a huge hit song called "Melody of Love." This song sold over one million copies and earned a gold disc, which means it was super popular!
For the next 15 years, Billy Vaughn and his orchestra had many more hit songs. He became the most successful orchestra leader during the time when rock and roll music was becoming popular.
Billy Vaughn's Famous Sound and Hits
Billy Vaughn's orchestra had a special sound, often using two alto saxophones and a guitar. He was the bandleader and played the lead guitar on most of his songs. He had 42 songs that appeared on the Billboard music charts in the U.S. He also had 36 albums that made it onto the Billboard 200 album chart.
Some of his biggest hits around the world included:
- "Sail Along, Silv'ry Moon" (a cover of an old Bing Crosby song) was a number one hit in Germany and also earned a gold record.
- "La Paloma " and "Wheels" were two more number one hits for him in Germany. "Wheels" was number one for 14 weeks in Germany and also topped the charts in India, New Zealand, and Italy!
- "Pearly Shells" was a huge success in Japan, which led to Billy Vaughn touring there often starting in 1965.
Many of his songs that weren't big hits in the U.S. were very popular in other countries. These included "Lili Marlene", "Blueberry Hill" (in Germany), "It's a Lonesome Old Town" (in Japan), "Michelle" (number one in Argentina and Malaysia), "Mexico" (number one in the Philippines), and "Bonanza" (a big hit in Brazil and Italy).
The Billy Vaughn Orchestra started touring in 1965 and had many sold-out shows in Japan, Brazil, and South Korea.
Later Life and Legacy
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Billy Vaughn lived in Palm Springs, California. He passed away from cancer in Escondido, California, on September 26, 1991, when he was 72 years old. He and his wife Marion are buried in Escondido.
Today, the Billy Vaughn Orchestra still performs! It is co-owned and managed by his son, Richard Smith Vaughn Jr. The orchestra toured Japan in 2013, 2014, and 2018, playing to packed audiences.
See also
In Spanish: Billy Vaughn para niños
