Billy Gayles
Billy Gayles | |
|---|---|
 Gayles as a member of the Kings of Rhythm (1956) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Willie James Gayles |
| Also known as | Willie King Billy Gale |
| Born | October 19, 1931 Sikeston, Missouri,U.S. |
| Died | April 8, 1993(aged 61) St. Louis, Missouri,U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instrument | Drums |
| Years active | 1950s−1990s |
| Formerly of | Ike Turner Kings of Rhythm Otis Rush |
Billy Gayles(October 19, 1931 – April 8, 1993) was an Americanrhythm & bluesdrummer and vocalist. Gayles was a member ofIke Turner'sKings of Rhythmin the 1950s with whom he recorded forFlair RecordsandFederal Recordsas the lead vocalist. Gayles also backed various musicians, includingEarl Hooker,Robert Nighthawk,Otis Rush,Albert King,andRichard Arnold "Groove" Holmes.[1][2]
Life and career
[edit]Willie James Gayles was born inSikeston, Missourion October 19, 1931. He became interested inbluesandjazzmusic after he moved toCairo, Illinoisas a teenager. Gayles learned to play the drums and toured with blues musiciansEarl HookerandRobert Nighthawk.[2]
In the early 1950s, he relocated toClarksdale, Mississippi.In March 1954, Gayles recorded withIke Turner'sKing's of Rhythm,resulting in the release of the Turner-penned single "Night Howler" / "My Heart In Your Hands" onFlair Records.By 1956, Gayles had joined the band now based inEast St. Louis,mainly as a vocalist. That year, Turner took the band toCincinnatito record forFederal Records.The single, "I'm Tore Up" / "If I Never Had Known You," featuring Gayles singing lead, became a regional hit.[3]Gayles briefly left Turner's band to pursue a solo career. He returned to the band as a drummer. In 1958, Gayles traveled to Chicago with Turner to record forCobra Records.Gayles and Turner sang on the Cobra release "Walking Down The Aisle," theB-sideto "Box Top."They also backedOtis Rushin a Cobra session that produced the singles "Double Trouble"and"All Your Love (I Miss Loving)."[4][5]
Gayles performed off-and-on with Turner until 1963.[2]He later formed his own band and played aroundSt. Louis.Gayles backed blues musicianLarry Davison his 1982 albumFunny Stuff.In 1986 and 1987, Gayles toured Europe with several original members of the Kings of Rhythm, includingClayton Love,Erskine Oglesby,Stacy Johnson,Oliver Sain,and formerIketteRobbie Montgomeryas part of the St. Louis Kings of Rhythm.[6]Mayor Vincent Schoemehl officially appointed them as ambassadors for the City of St. Louis.[7]
In the early 1990s, Gayles played in a band called Billy and the Preachers.[8]
After being hospitalized for three months at St. Louis Regional Medical Center, Gayles died from inoperable cancer at the age of 61 on April 8, 1993.[1]He is buried at Friedens Cemetery & Mausoleum in St. Louis.[9]
Discography
[edit]Singles
[edit]Billy Gale and His Orchestra
[edit]- 1954: "Night Howler" / "My Heart In Your Hands" (Flair1031)
Billy Gayles with Ike Turner's Rhythm Rockers
[edit]Billy Gayles
[edit]- 1956: "Take Your Fine Frame Home" / "Let's Call It A Day" (Federal 12272)[11]
- 1963: "I'm Hurting" / "Dreaming Of You" (Shock 200)
Billy Gayles with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm
[edit]- 1956: "Do Right Baby" / "No Coming Back" (Federal 12282)[12]
- 1956: "Just One More Time" / "Sad As A Man Can Be" (Federal 12287)[13]
Willie King with The Ike Turner Band
[edit]- 1956: "Peg Leg Woman" / "Mistreating Me" (Vita V-123)[14]
Seaphus Scott, The Five Masquerades And Billy Gale Orch.
[edit]- 1958: "Nature's Beauty" / "Summer Sunrise" (Joyce 303)
Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm
[edit]- 1959: "Walking Down The Aisle" (Cobra5033)
Albums
[edit]Featured appearances
[edit]- 1985: Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm –Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm Vol. 2(Ace Records)
- 1986: St. Louis Kings Of Rhythm –St. Louis Kings Of Rhythm(Timeless Records)
- 1989:R&B Confidential No.1: The Flair Label(Ace Records)
- 1993: Ike Turner –Rocks The Blues(P-Vine Records)
- 2008: Ike Turner –Classic Early Sides 1952–1957(JSP Records)
As a sideman
[edit]- 1982:Larry Davis–Funny Stuff(Rooster Blues Records)
- 1989:Otis Rush–The Cobra Sessions 1956–1958(P-Vine Records)
- 1993:The Cobra Records Story(Capricorn Records)
References
[edit]- ^abTalevski, Nick (2010).Rock Obituaries: Knocking On Heaven's Door.Omnibus Press. p. 201.ISBN978-0-85712-117-2.
- ^abcKomara, Edward M. (2006).Encyclopedia of the Blues.Psychology Press. p. 362.ISBN978-0-415-92699-7.
- ^Tina Turner, Kurt Loder (1986).I, Tina: My Life Story.HarperCollins.ISBN9780688059491.
- ^"All Your Love (I Miss Loving) – Otis Rush (Cobra, 1958)".Blues Foundation.
- ^Obrecht, Jas (October 2019)."Let It Roll! The Essential Blues Sessions: Otis Rush, Cobra Records, Early 1959".Living Blues:46.
- ^Kasten, Roy."Stacy Johnson, Singer with Ike Turner and Benny Sharp and the Sharpees, Has Died".Riverfront Times.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-12-11.Retrieved2019-12-21.
- ^Baugh, Bob (June 27, 2018)."Jimmy Hinds: The Sound of St. Louis".KDHX.
- ^Olson, Bruce R. (2016).That St. Louis Thing, Vol. 2: An American Story of Roots, Rhythm and Race.pp. 123–124.ISBN978-1-4834-5797-0.OCLC967779163.
- ^Eagle, Bob L.; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013).Blues: A Regional Experience.ABC-CLIO. p. 207.ISBN978-0-313-34424-4.
- ^"Reviews of New R&B Records"(PDF).Billboard:60. April 23, 1956.
- ^"The Cash Box Rhythm 'N Blues Reviews"(PDF).The Cash Box:32. June 16, 1956.
- ^"Reviews of New R&B Records"(PDF).Billboard:50. November 3, 1956.
- ^"Reviews of R&B Records"(PDF).Billboard:45. January 3, 1957.
- ^"Reviews of New R&B Records"(PDF).Billboard:48. April 7, 1956.
- 1931 births
- 1993 deaths
- African-American drummers
- 20th-century American drummers
- American male drummers
- Rhythm and blues drummers
- American rhythm and blues singers
- American blues singers
- Music of St. Louis
- St. Louis blues musicians
- People from Sikeston, Missouri
- Ike & Tina Turner members
- Kings of Rhythm members
- Flair Records artists
- Federal Records artists
- Cobra Records artists
- 20th-century American male musicians