William Larry Stewart II (March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970) was an American rhythm and blues singer and pianist who was popular during the 1960s.

Biography

Stewart was 12 years old when he began singing with his younger brothers Johnny, James, and Frank as the Four Stewart Brothers, and they later went on to get their own radio show every Sunday for five years at WUST in Washington, D.C. He was a graduate of Armstrong High School, now Friendship Armstrong Academy. Stewart made the transition to

secular music Non-religious secular music and sacred music were the two main genres of Western music during the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. The oldest written examples of secular music are songs with Latin lyrics.Grout, 1996, p. 60 However, many secular ...

by filling in occasionally for the Rainbows, a D.C. area vocal group led by the future

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

star,

Don Covay Donald James Randolph (March 24, 1936 – January 31, 2015), better known by the stage name Don Covay, was an American R&B, rock and roll, and soul singer-songwriter most active from the 1950s to the 1970s. His most successful recordings in ...

. It was through the Rainbows that Stewart met another aspiring singer,

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo a ...

Rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inclu ...

has been credited with discovering Stewart playing piano in Washington, D.C. and inviting him to be one of his backup musicians. By 1955, this led to a recording contract with Diddley's

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed d ...

Chess Records Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll ...

and Diddley played guitar on Stewart's 1956 recording of "Billy's Blues". A strong seller in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, "Billy's Blues" reached the sales top 25 in ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film) ...

'' magazine. Stewart then moved to

Okeh Records Okeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Ott ...

and recorded "Billy's Heartache", backed by the Marquees, another D.C. area group which featured Marvin Gaye. Back at Chess in the early 1960s, Stewart began working with A&R man Billy Davis. He recorded a song called "Fat Boy" and then had additional success with his recordings of "Reap What You Sow" and "Strange Feeling", both making the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

and the

Top 30 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "conte ...

in the R&B

charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent t ...

. Major chart success was not far away and in 1965, Stewart recorded two self-written songs, " I Do Love You" (No. 6 R&B, No. 26 Pop), which featured his brother Johnny Stewart as one of the backing vocalists with his partner James English, and " Sitting in the Park" (No. 4 R&B, No. 24 Pop). His idiosyncratic improvisational technique of doubling-up, scatting his words and trilling his lips made his style unique in the 1960s. In 1966, Stewart recorded the LP ''Unbelievable''. The first single released from that

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

was Stewart's radical interpretation of the

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

song, " Summertime", a Top 10 hit on both the pop and R&B charts. The follow-up single was Stewart's

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of the

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

hit " Secret Love", which reached the Pop Top 30 and just missed the Top 10 on the R&B chart. Stewart continued to record throughout the remainder of the 1960s on Chess without major success. A weight problem worsened, and he developed

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

. Stewart suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle accident in 1969.

Health and death

Stewart's weight caused him several health problems, culminating in

, a condition that may have contributed to his motorcycle accident in 1969. He died in a broad-daylight car accident in January 1970, at age 32. The accident happened when the

Ford Thunderbird The Ford Thunderbird (colloquially called the T-Bird) is a personal luxury car produced by Ford from model years 1955 until 1997 and 2002 until 2005 across 11 distinct generations. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was p ...

that Stewart was driving approached a bridge across the

Neuse River The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in No ...

near

Smithfield, North Carolina Smithfield is a town in and the county seat of Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 10,966, and in 2019 the estimated population was 12,985. Smithfield is home to the Ava Gardner Museum and ...

(presumably on

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadi ...

). His car left the highway, ran along the median strip at a slight angle to the highway, struck the bridge abutment, and then plunged into the river, killing Stewart and his three passengers instantly. The other victims in the accident were members of Stewart's band: Norman P. Rich, 39, of Washington, D.C.; William Cathey, 32 of Charlotte, N.C.; and Rico Hightower, 22 of Newark, New Jersey. The four musicians were driving to a nightclub show in Columbia, South Carolina at the time of the wreck. The car had been purchased only 12 days before and had been driven only 1,400 miles before the accident occurred. Stewart was buried in

National Harmony Memorial Park National Harmony Memorial Park is a private, secular cemetery located at 7101 Sheriff Road in Landover, Maryland, in the United States. Although racially integrated, most of the individuals interred there are African American. In 1960, the 37,000 ...

Landover, Maryland Landover is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 25,998. Landover is contained between Sheriff Road and Central Avenue to the s ...

Lawsuit and trial

Sarah Stewart, the executrix of his estate, sued

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...

on behalf of his estate, claiming mechanical failure was the cause of the accident. The first trial was won by Ford Motor Company, but on appeal the court ruled that the trial court's refusal to give the requested jury instructions was in error and ordered the case reversed and remanded. The case was then settled out of court.

Musical legacy

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, his music was popular among Latino, specifically Chicano, youth on the West Coast. Stewart was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame in 2002. His version of "Summertime" was one of the songs featured on

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's '' Theme Time Radio Hour'' show, and was one of the few artists Dylan actually responded about during his mainly fictitious email responses to listener questions. His version of "Summertime" was also featured in the last scene and on the soundtrack of the 2003 movie '' Stuck on You''. His musical legacy is also being kept alive by several talented family members in his hometown of Washington D.C. Cousins Grace Ruffin who is a member of the '60s group The Four Jewels, singer and musician Calvin C. Ruffin Jr. and local Washington, D.C. independent recording artist Dane Riley, continue to perform several of his hits during their concerts.

NRBQ NRBQ is an American rock band founded by Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and Joey Spampinato (bass). Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed around 1965. Adams disbanded it for a time, and the group re ...

has performed "Sitting In The Park" as a fluctuating part of their set list since 1970. Three versions have been released by NRBQ on CD. On June 25, 2019, ''

The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of '' The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors ...

'' listed Billy Stewart among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the

2008 Universal fire On June 1, 2008, a fire broke out on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood, an American film studio and theme park in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, California. The fire began when a worker used a blowtorch to warm a ...

. In

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensemble ...

's ''

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is ...

'', Billy Stewart's "Summertime" is featured in a scene where

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

's character, Cliff Booth, leaves his home and erratically drives off into the twilight. Stewart was inducted into the class of 2021 for the

National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally. History The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founded ...

Discography

Singles

* Chess 1625: "Billy's Blues" / "Billy's Blues" * Argo 5256: "Billy's Blues" / "Billy's Blues" * Okeh 4-7095: "Baby, You're My Only Love" / "Billy's Heartache" (1957 with

, backed by The "Marquees") * Chess 1820: "Reap What You Sow" / "Fat Boy" (1962) - #18 R&B, #79 pop * Chess 1835: "True Fine Lovin'" / "Wedding Bells" (1962) * Chess 1852: "Scramble" / "Oh My, What Can the Matter Be" (1963) * Chess 1868: "Strange Feeling" / "Sugar and Spice" (1963) - #25 R&B, #70 pop * Chess 1888: "A Fat Boy Can Cry" / "Count Me Out" (1964) * Chess 1905: "Tell It Like It Is" / "My Sweet Senorita" (1964) * Chess 1922: " I Do Love You" / "Keep Loving" (1965) - #6 R&B, #26 pop * Chess 1932: " Sitting in the Park" / "Once Again" (1965) - #4 R&B, #24 pop * Chess 1941: "How Nice It Is" / "No Girl" (1965) * Chess 1948: "Because I Love You" / "Mountain of Love" (1965) * Chess 1960: "Love Me" / "Why Am I Lonely" (1966) - #38 R&B * Chess 1966: " Summertime" / "To Love, to Love" (1966) - #7 R&B, #10 pop * Chess 1978: " Secret Love" / "Look Back and Smile" (1967) - #11 R&B, #29 pop * Chess 1991: " Every Day I Have the Blues" / " Ol' Man River" (1967) - #41 R&B, #79 pop * Chess 2002: "Cross My Heart" / "Why (Do I Love You So)?" (1968) - #34 R&B, #86 pop / #49 R&B * Chess 2053: "Tell Me the Truth" / "What Have I Done?" (1968) - #48 R&B * Chess 2063: "I'm In Love" / "Crazy 'Bout You, Baby" (1969) * Chess 2080: "

By the Time I Get to Phoenix "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is a song written by Jimmy Webb. Originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, it was covered by American country music singer Glen Campbell on his album of the same name. Released on Capitol Records in 1967, Camp ...

" / "We'll Always Be Together" (1969)

Albums

*Chess 1496: ''I Do Love You'' (1965) (Billboard #97) *Chess 1499: ''Unbelievable'' (1966) (Billboard #138) *Chess 1513: ''Billy Stewart Teaches Old Standards New Tricks'' (1967) *Chess 1540: ''Cross My Heart'' (1969) *Chess 1547: ''Remembered'' (1970) *Sugar Hill/Chess CH-8401: ''The Greatest Sides'' (1982)

References

External links

WAMA Hall of Fame
*
"Singer Billy Stewart Dies In Car Crash-Plunge"
''Jet Magazine'', 5 February 1970. Retrieved June 15, 2017. {{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Billy 1937 births 1970 deaths 20th-century African-American male singers Burials at National Harmony Memorial Park Chess Records artists American male jazz musicians Okeh Records artists Road incident deaths in North Carolina Scat singers Singers from Washington, D.C.