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Billy Kyle | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | William Osborne Kyle |
Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | July 14, 1914
Died | February 23, 1966 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. | (aged 51)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Piano |
Years active | 1930s–1960s |
William Osborne Kyle (July 14, 1914 – February 23, 1966) was an American jazz pianist. [1] He is perhaps best known as an accompanist. [2]
Kyle was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. [2] He began playing the piano in school and by the early 1930s worked with Lucky Millinder, Tiny Bradshaw and later the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. [2] In 1938, he joined John Kirby's sextet, but was drafted in 1942. [2] After the war, he worked with Kirby's band briefly and also worked with Sy Oliver. [2] He then spent thirteen years as a member of Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, [2] and performed in the 1956 musical High Society.
A fluent pianist with a light touch, Kyle always worked steadily. He died in Youngstown, Ohio.
Kyle had few opportunities to record as a leader and none during his Armstrong years, some octet and septet sides in 1937, two songs with a quartet in 1939, and outings in 1946 with a trio and an octet.
With others