Billy Williamson
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Billy Williamson (formal name William F. Williamson; February 9, 1925 – March 22, 1996) was the steel guitar player for Bill Haley and His Saddlemen and its successor group Bill Haley & His Comets from 1949 to 1963. A founding member of both the Saddlemen and the Comets, Williamson often acted as the band's emcee and comic relief during live concerts; he also played lead guitar on occasion. He was with the band when they recorded "Rock Around the Clock" in 1954, and Williamson had the distinction of being the only Comet allowed to record lead vocal tracks during Haley's tenure at Decca Records (such as the song "Hide and Seek" on their 1956 album, Rock and Roll Stage Show. He also shared a number of songwriting credits with Haley. His wife, Catherine Cafra, was also credited as co-writer of a number of songs recorded by Haley, including the 1958 hit, "Skinny Minnie."
Williamson left the Comets in early 1963 and reportedly never played another note, declining invitations to join Comets reunion groups that formed after Haley's death in 1981. He died at the age of 71 in 1996.
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Williamson, Billy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Rock and roll musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 9 February 1925 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Conshohocken, Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF DEATH | 22 March 1996 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania |
