Guitarist,
composer/arranger and singer Billy Strange died Wednesday (February 22)
in Nashville from an unnamed illness. The Long Beach, California native
was 81. As a member of Hollywood's "Wrecking Crew" of studio musicians,
Billy played on sessions for Frank and Nancy Sinatra, the Beach Boys
("Pet Sounds"), the Everly Brothers, Jan & Dean and b.
He arranged "These Boots Are Made For Walking" for Nancy as well as
"Something Stupid," her duet with father Frank. He also arranged the
Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You." As a composer, he worked with
Mac Davis on tunes like Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" and
"Memories." A tune he composed (which he called "Monotonous Melody")
later became "Limbo Rock." He provided the vocals for Steve McQueen in
the movie, "Baby The Rain Must Fall." His own recording on "The James
Bond Theme" reached #58 in 1964, followed by "Goldfinger" (#55) the next
year. In later years he moved to Nashville and ran a publishing company
for the Sinatras. He was married to actress Joan O'Brien for two years
in the fifties and at the time of his death he had been married for many
years to country singer Jeanne Black ("He'll Have To Stay"). Billy was
enshrined into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame in 2005 and the Musicians
Hall of Fame two years later.
