Billy Guy (June 20, 1936 – November 5, 2002) was an American singer, best known as a lead singer for

the Coasters The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with " Searchin'" and " Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producin ...

. He was inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...

in 1987.

Biography

Born Frank Phillips in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, Guy is best known as a member of

, singing lead on such hits as "Searchin'", "Little Egypt", "Run Red Run", "Wait A Minute", among others. Songwriters

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...

praised his "marvelous sense of comedy and timing." Before Guy joined The Coasters in 1955, he was part of a comedy singing duo called "Bip and Bop". One single, "Ding Dong Ding", b/w "Du-Wada-Du", was released on

Aladdin Records Aladdin Records was a record company and label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by brothers Eddie and Leo Mesner. It was originally called Philo Records before changing its name in 1946. Aladdin was known for jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock mus ...

in 1955. He made a number of solo records during the 1960s and 1970s. 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 60s and early 70s, including "Love Won't Wear Off" (Calla Records) in 1968 by

J.R. Bailey James Ralph Bailey (June 17, 1937 – September 6, 1985) was an American R&B singer and songwriter. A member of The Cadillacs from 1956 to 1972, he also recorded as a solo artist. He worked as a background vocalist for singers such as Aretha Frank ...

and a spoken words album by Universal Messengers called "An Experience In The Blackness Of Sound" (Turbo/All Platinum Records) about 1969. Bailey was a former member of

The Cadillacs The Cadillacs were an American rock and roll and doo-wop group from Harlem, New York, active from 1953 to 1962. The group was noted for their 1955 hit " Speedo", written by Esther Navarro, which was instrumental in attracting white audiences to ...

and writing partner of Vernon Harrell (who had replaced Guy as a member of The Coasters in the 1960s on stage only). Guy and Bailey had a record company, GuyJim Records. A single released by C. Alexander And The Natural 3 called "Pay Them No Mind" b/w "Somebody Special" was released on the GuyJim label. Guy released a comedy album on Snake Eyes/

All Platinum Records All Platinum Records was a record company started in 1967 by singer/writer/producer Sylvia Robinson and her husband, businessman Joe Robinson, who had previously worked in the recording industry. All Platinum and its subsidiary labels, includin ...

in 1972 called "The Tramp Is Funky". . His record "Foxey Baby/Shake A Leg" was the only release on Chalco Records, a label created by

Ed Chalpin Ed Chalpin (January 16, 1935 in NYC – October 1, 2019 in Boca Raton, FL) was a record executive and producer. He is probably remembered for his association with Curtis Knight and the Squires which caused problems for Jimi Hendrix throughout his ...

and

Jocko Henderson Douglas "Jocko" Henderson (March 8, 1918July 15, 2000) was an American radio disc jockey, businessman, and hip hop music pioneer. Early life Henderson grew up in Baltimore, where both of his parents were teachers. Radio broadcasting Henderson ...

in 1966. The label's first release was intended to be

Jayne Mansfield Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer; April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress, singer, nightclub entertainer, and ''Playboy'' Playmate. A sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s while under contract at 20th Century Fox, Man ...

's record "Suey" but it was later released on

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

instead. He produced a double-album by Pearl Box Revue called "Call Me Miss-ter" on Snake Eyes/All Platinum Records, which was a spoken word album with four

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...

s, including

Dorian Corey Dorian Corey (June 6, 1937 – August 29, 1993) was an American drag performer and fashion designer. She appeared in '' Wigstock'' and was featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary '' Paris Is Burning''. Early life and education ...

. These two records are

X-rated An X rating is a rating used in various countries to classify films that have content deemed suitable only for adults. It is used when the violent or sexual content of a film is considered to be potentially disturbing to general audiences. Aust ...

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 Grady Chapman (October 1, 1929 – January 4, 2011) was best known as the American lead singer of doo wop group The Robins. Biography Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Chapman joined The Robins in 1952, singing alongside Bobby Nunn, Billy ...

and Jerome Evans, on a recording "Paid The Price" by

Michelle Phillips Michelle may refer to: People *Michelle (name), a given name and surname, the feminine form of Michael * Michelle Courtens, Dutch singer, performing as "Michelle" * Michelle (German singer) * Michelle (Scottish singer) (born 1980), Scottish ...

on her album "Victim Of Romance". Billy Guy died on November 5, 2002, in

Clark County, Nevada Clark County is located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,265,461. Most of the county population resides in the Las Vegas Census County Divisions, which hold 1,771,945 people as of the 2010 Census, acros ...

, of cardiovascular disease.

Discography

Singles

* 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) * Foxey Baby/Shake A Leg (Chalco #5002) (1966) * 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 Hidle Brown Barnum (born July 15, 1936) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor. Biography After winning a nationwide talent contest at the age of four and starring in the film ''Valley of the Sun ...

) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters) * You Move Me/Take It Easy Greasy (Sal-Wa #1001) (1975) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters) * Put Your Own Words To It/You Move Me (Sniff #395) (about 1975) (as Billy) ("Put Your Words To It" is an instrumental version of Sal-Wa recording "Take It Easy Greasy") * Ain't No Greens In Harlem/Jumbo Bwana (Polydor #2040-273) (1977) (as Billy Guy and The Coasters)

Albums

* Various Artists: Washington Committee (Double L #DL-2302) (Promo LP) (1963) (includes "Women" and "Whip It On Me Baby") * 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) * Various Artists: Buttshakers Volume 2 (Mr. Luckee) (includes "Lookin' Like A Nut Nut")

References

External links

The Coasters Web Site
angelfire.com; accessed May 19, 2014 *

Allmusic profile AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

accessed May 19, 2014
Billy Guy
at findagrave.com; accessed May 19, 2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:Guy, Billy 1936 births 2002 deaths American rhythm and blues singers The Coasters members Singers from Texas 20th-century American singers Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Las Vegas) People from Itasca, Texas