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Billy J. Kramer

Biography

Probably one of the most popular Merseybeat performers, Billy J. Kramer (given birth to Billy Ashton) was probably one of the most mild-mannered rockers of the complete English Invasion. He wasn’t that noteworthy a vocalist, either, and much more likely than not really would have by no means been heard beyond northern Britain if he hadn’t been luckily enough to become customer of Beatles supervisor Brian Epstein. A lot more crucially, he was gifted with many Lennon-McCartney tunes in 1963 and 1964, many of that your Beatles by no means ended up documenting. That gave him his entry into the graphs on both edges from the Atlantic, but Kramer couldn’t maintain his success following the way to obtain Lennon-McCartney tunes dry out. Significant? No. Pleasant? Yes. Actually tossing apart the considerable worth of hearing normally unavailable Lennon-McCartney compositions, his greatest singles had been enjoyably wimpy, melodic pop/rock and roll, supplying a guilty enjoyment comparable to going for a break from Faulkner and diving into some superhero comics. It has been reported that George Martin was hesitant to create Kramer due to the latter’s vocal deficiencies, making certain to cover up the breaks in his higher register with noisy piano records in Billy’s cover of “Would you like to Understand a Magic formula.” Regardless of — the tune managed to get to number 2 within the U.K. in middle-1963, accompanied by another Lennon-McCartney work, “Bad if you ask me.” “I’ll Keep You Pleased” and “From a Home window” were various other gifts through the Beatles camp that provided Kramer solid strikes; one Beatles reject, “I’M GOING TO BE on My Method,” was also relegated to some B-side (the Beatles’ very own BBC edition was finally released in 1994). Each one of these tunes, it ought to be observed, symbolized Lennon-McCartney at their lightest & most facile, which to a big degree points out why they didn’t record the amounts for their very own produces, deeming them more desirable for Kramer’s pretty bland strategy. Billy J. in fact arrived his biggest strike, the corny pop ballad “SMALL CHILDREN,” without the help of his benefactors; the solo also broke him, briefly, being a star in america, where it and its own flip aspect (“Bad if you ask me”) both produced the very best Ten. He made an appearance in the renowned 1964 The T.A.M.We. Present rockumentary film, as well as the Dakotas documented some instrumental rock and roll independently, getting a Best 20 British strike using the Ventures-ish “The Cruel Ocean.” Early English acoustic guitar hero Mick Green, previously with Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, was a good Dakota briefly. But after 1965’s cover of Bacharach-David’s “Trains and Vessels and Planes,” the strikes ceased, because the Beatles and Epstein’s interest was dropped. Kramer continued documenting through the entire ’60s, actually briefly venturing into hard psychedelic-tinged rock and roll, without much achievement, and consequently toured often around the oldies circuit.

Quick Facts


Full Name Billy J. Kramer
Profession Singer
Nationality British
Awards NME Award for Artist for Poll Concert
Music Songs Bad to Me, Little Children, Do You Want To Know A Secret, From A Window, I'll Keep You Satisfied, I Call Your Name, Trains & Boats & Planes, I'll Be on My Way, Da Doo Ron Ron, It's Gotta Last Forever, It's Up to You, They Remind Me of You, We're Doing Fine, I'll Be Doggone, I Won the Fight, Tell Me Girl, Take My Hand, Sneakin' Around, You Can't Live On Memories, Neon City, That's the Way I Feel, Sugar Babe, You Make Me Feel Like Someone, The Cruel Sea, It's a Mad, Mad World, Cow Planet, Episode 3, Under the Boardwalk, That Ain't Good for Me, Is There Any More At Home Like You, Mad, Mad World, Boys Cry, To Take Her Place
Albums Little Children, I'll Keep You Satisfied, Billy J Kramer, Listen..., With the Dakotas, The Best of Billy J. Kramer, The Billy J. Kramer Hits, Little Children / I'll Keep You Satisfied, Merseybeat, Original Hits, Mersey Mania, Man At His Leisure, Mega Hits For You, Expanse, Hit It, Noble Blue, In That Golden Summer Time, Gaudy Colours, Over The Top Hits, Bitter And Sweet, Into The Countryside, Billy J. Kramer - His Very Best, Express Yourself, Billy J Kramer's From A Window, Beach Promenade, Art Collection, Freedom Loving, Talkative Friend, Id Like To Hear That Song Again, Christmas Cards, Meet And Greet On Broadway, Fabulous Hits, Confectioner's, Peasant Tasting Christmas Dinner, Listen, Pansies, Explore, Remind and Reflecting, Quiescent Point, Always The Best Hits, Open Stage, All Over The World, Hidden Insights, Imposingly, Colorful Garden, Trains and Boats and Planes / I'll Be on My Way, In The Wild West, Bad to Me, Easily Stop Time, Broken Colour, As Light As Straw
Nominations NME Award for World Male Singer, NME Award for British Male Singer, NME Award for British Vocal Personality


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#Fact
1 Produced, with some reservations, by George Martin, who made up for the shortcomings he heard in Kramer's voice by doubletracking his vocals, and overdubbing piano highlights (speeded up, for a harpsichord effect) for the songs.
2 Managed by Brian Epstein, who bought his contract from Kramer's original manager, who had made Ashton practice singing while standing on a chair. Fellow NEMS artist 'John Lennon contributed the J to Kramer's stage name, and also the songs "Do You Want To Know A Secret?", " Bad To Me" , "( A Light) From A Window", and "I'll Keep You Satisfied" to his repertoire.
3 Lead singer of '60s band Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas.


Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Pan Am 2012 TV Series performer - 1 episode
The British Invasion Returns 2000 Video performer: "Bad To Me", "Little Children"
Shindig! Presents British Invasion Vol. 1 1992 Video short performer: "Little Children"
Shindig! Presents British Invasion Vol. 2 1992 Video short performer: "Trains And Boats And Planes"
Go Go Mania 1965 performer: "Little Children"
Shindig! 1964 TV Series performer - 2 episodes

Actor

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Red Skelton Hour 1965 TV Series Guest Vocalist

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The British Invasion Returns 2000 Video Himself
Arena 1998 TV Series documentary Himself
Rock Family Trees 1998 TV Series documentary Himself
Shindig! Presents British Invasion Vol. 1 1992 Video short Himself
Shindig! Presents British Invasion Vol. 2 1992 Video short Himself
The Compleat Beatles 1982 Video documentary Himself
This Is Your Life 1980 TV Series documentary Himself
Arrows 1976 TV Series Himself - Guest
Discotheque 1968-1969 TV Series Himself -host / Himself - Host
Where the Action Is 1966 TV Series Himself
Ready, Steady, Go! 1963-1966 TV Series Himself
Five O'Clock Club 1964-1966 TV Series Himself / Themselves / Himself - Guest
Shindig! 1964-1966 TV Series Himself - Singer / Themselves - Rock Band / Thenmselves - Singers
The Music of Lennon & McCartney 1965 TV Special documentary Himself (as The Dakotas)
Thank Your Lucky Stars 1963-1965 TV Series Himself
The Eamonn Andrews Show 1965 TV Series Himself
The British Song Festival 1965 TV Movie Himself
Go Go Mania 1965 Himself (as Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas)
Top of the Pops 1964-1965 TV Series Himself
Primitive London 1965 Documentary Himself
The T.A.M.I. Show 1964 Documentary Himself (as Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas)
The Ed Sullivan Show 1964 TV Series Himself - Bass Player
Big Beat '64 1964 TV Movie Himself
New Musical Express Poll Winners' Concert 1964 TV Movie documentary Himself (as Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas)
Big Night Out 1964 TV Series Himself
Beat City 1963 TV Short documentary Himself (as Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas)
Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium 1963 TV Series Themselves

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Rock 'n' Roll Years 1986 TV Series Himself

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