Bill Doggett

William Ballard Doggett (February 16, 1916 – November 13, 1996)^[1] was an American pianist and organist.^[2] He began his career playing swing music before transitioning into rhythm and blues.^[3] Best known for his instrumental compositions "Honky Tonk" and "Hippy Dippy", Doggett was a pioneer of rock and roll.^[4] He worked with the Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan.^[1]

Bill Doggett
Doggett in 1980
Background information
Born	William Ballard Doggett (1916-02-16)February 16, 1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	November 13, 1996(1996-11-13) (aged 80) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Blues swing jazz R&B rock and roll
Occupation	Musician
Instruments	Piano organ
Years active	1930s–1996
Labels	King

Biography

Doggett was born in Philadelphia.^[1] During the 1930s and early 1940s he worked for Lucky Millinder, Frank Fairfax and arranger Jimmy Mundy.^[2] In 1942 he was hired as the Ink Spots' pianist and arranger.^[2]

In 1951, Doggett organized his own trio and began recording for King Records.^[2] His best known recording is "Honky Tonk", a rhythm and blues hit of 1956,^[2] which sold four million copies (reaching No. 1 R&B and No. 2 Pop), and which he co-wrote with Billy Butler.^[5] The track topped the US Billboard R&B chart for over two months.^[6] He also arranged for many bandleaders and performers, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lionel Hampton.^[2]

He continued to play and arrange until he died, aged 80, from cancer in New York City.^[1]

Discography

Singles

Year	Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated	Chart positions		Album
		US	US R&B
1945	"Be-Baba-Leba" b/w "Every Now and Then" Both sides feature vocalist Helen Humes		3	Non-album tracks
	"He May Be Your Man" b/w "Blue Prelude" Both sides feature vocalist Helen Humes
1953	"Moondust" /		18	Moon Dust
	"Early Bird"		21	Hot Doggett
	"No More In Life" (Vocals by Mildred Anderson) b/w "Real Gone Mambo" (from The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett)		20	Non-album track
	"Eventide" b/w "And The Angels Sing" (from The Doggett Beat For Happy Feet)			Moon Dust
	"The Christmas Song" b/w "Winter Wonderland"			All Time Christmas Favorites (later on 12 Songs Of Christmas)
1954	"It's A Dream" b/w "The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)" (from Dance Awhile With Doggett)			Moon Dust
	"There's No You" b/w "Easy" (from The Doggett Beat For Happy Feet)
	"Sweet Lorraine" b/w "Tailor Made" (from Dance Awhile With Doggett)			Dame Dreaming
	"High Heels" b/w "Sweet Slumber" (from Moon Dust)		15	Hot Doggett
	"Honey" b/w "The Nearness Of You" (from Moon Dust)			The Doggett Beat For Happy Feet
	"Gumbo" b/w "Tara's Theme" (from Moon Dust)			Hot Doggett
1955	"My Reverie" b/w "King Bee" (from The Doggett Beat For Happy Feet)			Moon Dust
	"I'll Be Around" b/w "Wild Oats" (from Hot Doggett)
	"Oof!" b/w "Street Scene" (from Moon Dust)			Hot Doggett
	"Quaker City" b/w "True Blue"
	"Shove Off" b/w "You Don't Know What Love Is" (from Moon Dust)
	"Honey Boy" b/w "Misty Moon" (from Dance Awhile With Doggett)
1956	"In A Sentimental Mood" b/w "Who's Who" (from Hot Doggett)			Candle Glow
	"Squashy" b/w "We Found Love" (from Candle Glow)			Hot Doggett
	"The Bo-Do Rock" b/w "Mean To Me" Both sides with Earl Bostic			Non-album tracks
	"What A Diff'rence A Day Made" b/w "Stella By Starlight" (from Candle Glow)			The Doggett Beat For Happy Feet
	"Honky Tonk"—Parts 1 & 2	2	1	Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk
	"Bubbins Rock" b/w "Indiana" Both sides with Earl Bostic			Non-album tracks
	"Slow Walk" b/w "Hand In Hand" (from Candle Glow)	26	4	Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk
	"Honky Tonk" (Vocals by Tommy Brown) b/w "Peacock Alley" (from Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk)			The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett
1957	"Ram-Bunk-Shush" b/w "Blue Largo" (from The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett)	67	10	The Doggett Beat For Happy Feet
	"Chloe" b/w "Number Three" (from Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk)
	"Ding Dong" b/w "Cling To Me" (from Candle Glow)
	"Shindig" b/w "Hammer Head"
	"Soft" b/w "Hot Ginger"	35	11
	"Leaps and Bounds"—Part 1 b/w Part 2		13	Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk
1958	"Hippy Dippy" b/w "Flying Home" (from Dance Awhile With Doggett)			Hold It!
	"Boo-Da-Ba" b/w "Pimento"
	"Blues For Handy" b/w "How Could You" (from Dance Awhile With Doggett)
	"Blip Blop" b/w "Tanya"	82	11
	"Hold It" b/w "Birdie"	92	3
	"Rainbow Riot"—Part 1 b/w Part 2		15
1959	"Monster Party" b/w "Scott's Bluff"		27	High and Wide
	"Ocean Liner" b/w "The Madison"			On Tour
	"After Hours" b/w "Big City Drag"			Big City Dance Party
	"Yocky Dock"—Part 1 b/w Part 2		30	On Tour
	"Goofy Organ" b/w "Zee" (from On Tour)			Back Again With More Bill Doggett
	"Smokie"—Part 2 b/w "Evening Dreams" (from On Tour)	95
1960	"Raw Turkey" b/w "Back Woods" (Non-album track)			On Tour
	"Smoochie" "Big Boy" (from Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk)			Dance Awhile With Doggett
	"The Slush" b/w "Buttered Popcorn"			Back Again With More Bill Doggett
	"Trav'lin Light" b/w "A Lover's Dream" (from The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett)			For Reminiscent Lovers, Romantic Songs
	"Slidin'" b/w "Afternoon Jump" (from Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk)			Back Again With More Bill Doggett
	"Earl's Dog" (With Earl Bostic) B-side by Earl Bostic: "Special Delivery Stomp"			Non-album tracks
	"(Let's Do) The Hully Gully Twist" b/w "Jackrabbit"	66		3,046 People Danced 'Til 4 AM
1961	"Honky Tonk"—Part 2 b/w "Floyd's Guitar Blues" (from Big City Dance Party)	57	21	Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk
	"Let's Do The Continental" b/w "Pony Walk"			The Band With The Beat
	"You Can't Sit Down"—Part 1 b/w Part 2			3,046 People Danced 'Til 4 AM
	"The Doodle" b/w "Bugle Nose"			Back Again With More Bill Doggett
	"High and Wide" b/w "In The Wee Hours"			High and Wide
1962	"The Doodle Twist" b/w "Gene's Dream"			Non-album tracks
	"Lady's Choice" b/w "Buster"			Oops! The Swinging Sounds Of Bill Doggett and His Combo
	"George Washington Twist" b/w "Eleven O'clock Twist"			The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett
	"Moondust" b/w "Teardrops" (from Candle Glow)			Moon Dust
	"Oops" b/w "Choo Choo"			Oops! The Swinging Sounds Of Bill Doggett and His Combo
	"For All We Know" b/w "Hometown Shout" (from On Tour)			For Reminiscent Lovers, Romantic Songs
1963	"Soda Pop" b/w "Ham Fat"			Prelude To The Blues
	"Honky Tonk Bossa Nova"—Part 2 b/w "Ocean Liner Bossa Nova"			American Songs In Bossa Nova Style
	"Down Home Bossa Nova" b/w "Si-Si-Nova"
	"Groovy Movie" b/w "The Fog" (from The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett)			Impressions
	"The Worm" b/w "Hot Fudge"			Fingertips
1964	"Fat Back" b/w "Si Si Cisco"			Non-album tracks
	"Night Train"—Part 1 b/w Part 2			Back Again With More Bill Doggett
	"Hey, Big Boy, Hey Hey" b/w "The Rail" (from Big City Dance Party)			The Best Of Bill Doggett
	"Crackers" b/w "That's Enough, Lock 'Em Up"
	"The Kicker" b/w "Mudcat"			Wow!
	"Snuff Box" b/w "Blood Pressure" (Non-album track)			The Best Of Bill Doggett
1965	"Slidin'" b/w "Teardrops"			Bonanza Of 24 Songs
1967	"Sapphire" b/w "Ko-Ko"			Honky Tonk A-La Mod!
	"Lovin' Mood" b/w "The Funky Whistler"			Non-album tracks
1969	"Twenty-Five Miles" b/w "For Once In My Life" (Non-album track)			Honky Tonk Popcorn
	"Honky Tonk Popcorn" b/w "Honky Tonk"
1970	"The Nearness Of You" "Moondust"			The Nearness Of You
1971	"Eventide" b/w "In A Sentimental Mood"			Sentimental Mood

7" EPs (all on King)

• KEP-259 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Vol. 1 (1954)
• KEP-325 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Vol. 2 (1954)
• KEP-326 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Vol. 3 (1954)
• KEP-334 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Vol. 4 (1955)
• KEP-346 All Time Christmas Favorites (1955)
• KEP-352 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Vol. 5 (1955)
• KEP-382 Doggett Dreams, Vol. 6 (1956)
• KEP-388 Doggett Jumps, Vol. 7 (1956)
• KEP-390 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo: Honky Tonk! (1956)
• KEP-391 Bill Doggett, Volume 1 (1956)
• KEP-392 Bill Doggett, Volume 2 (1956)
• KEP-393 Bill Doggett, Volume 3 (1956)
• KEP-394 As You Desire Me (Volume 1) (1956)
• KEP-395 As You Desire Me (Volume 2) (1956)
• KEP-396 As You Desire Me (Volume 3) (1956)
• KEP-397 Earl Bostic – Bill Doggett (1956)
• KEP-399 A Salute To Ellington (Volume 1) (1957)
• KEP-400 A Salute To Ellington (Volume 2) (1957)
• KEP-401 A Salute To Ellington (Volume 3) (1957)
• KEP-402 Dame Dreaming (Volume 1) (1957)
• KEP-403 Dame Dreaming (Volume 2) (1957)
• KEP-404 Dame Dreaming (Volume 3) (1957)
• KEP-407 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo: Hot Doggett (1957)
• KEP-408 Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo: Soft (1957)
• KEP-424 Hold It! (Volume 1) (1958)
• KEP-425 Hold It! (Volume 2) (1958)
• KEP-426 Hold It! (Volume 3) (1958)
• KEP-442 High And Wide (Volume 1) (1959)
• KEP-443 High And Wide (Volume 2) (1959)
• KEP-444 High And Wide (Volume 3) (1959)
• KEP-448 Big City Dance Party (Volume 1) (1959)
• KEP-449 Big City Dance Party (Volume 2) (1959)
• KEP-450 Big City Dance Party (Volume 3) (1959)

10" LPs

• Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Volume 1 King 295-82 (1954)
• Bill Doggett, His Organ And Combo, Volume 2 King 295-83 (1954)
• All Time Christmas Favorites King 295-89 (1954)
• Sentimentally Yours King 295-102 (1955)

12" LPs

• Moon Dust King 395-502 (1956)
• Hot Doggett King 395-514 (1956)
• As You Desire Me King 395-523 (1956) [reissue of King 295-102 plus 4 additional tracks]
• Everybody Dance the Honky Tonk King 395-531 (1956)
• Dame Dreaming King 395-532 (1957)
• A Salute to Ellington King 533 (1957)
• Doggett Beat for Dancing Feet King 557 (1957)
• Candle Glow King 563 (1958)
• Swingin' Easy King 582 (1958)
• Dance Awhile with Doggett King 585 (1958)
• 12 Songs Of Christmas King 600 (1958) [reissue of King 295-89 plus 6 additional tracks]
• Hold It! King 609 (1959)
• High And Wide King 633 (1959)
• Big City Dance Party King 641 (1959)
• Bill Doggett on Tour [this is NOT a live album] King 667 (1959)
• For Reminiscent Lovers, Romantic Songs By Bill Doggett King 706 (1960)
• Back With More Bill Doggett King 723 (1960)
• The Many Moods Of Bill Doggett King 778 (1962)
• Bill Doggett Plays American Songs, Bossa Nova Style King 830 (1963)
• Impressions [compilation] King 868 (1963)
• The Best Of Bill Doggett [compilation] King 908 (1964)
• Bonanza Of 24 Songs [compilation] King 959 (1966)
• Take Your Shot King 1041 (1969) [withdrawn]
• Honky Tonk Popcorn King 1078 (1970)
• The Nearness Of You [compilation] King 1097 (1970)
• Ram-Bunk-Shush [compilation] King 1101 (1970)
• Sentimental Mood [compilation] King 1104 (1971)
• Soft [compilation] King 1108 (1971)
• 14 Original Greatest Hits [compilation; reissued as All His Hits] King-Starday 5009 (1977)
• Charles Brown: PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS [this vocal album includes 4 instrumental tracks by Bill Doggett] King-Starday 5019 (1978)

12" LPs issued by other labels

• 3,046 People Danced 'Til 4 A.M. To Bill Doggett [live album] Warner Bros. WS-1404 (1961)
• The Band With The Beat! Warner Bros. WS-1421 (1961)
• Bill Doggett Swings Warner Bros. WS-1452 (1962)
• Rhythm Is My Business (Ella Fitzgerald with Bill Doggett) Verve V6-4056 (1962)
• Oops! The Swinging Sounds Of Bill Doggett Columbia CL-1814/CS-8614 (1962)
• Prelude To The Blues Columbia CL-1942/CS-8742 (1963)
• Fingertips Columbia CL-2082/CS-8882 (1963)
• Wow! ABC-Paramount S-507 (1964)
• Honky Tonk A-La-Mod! Roulette SR-25330 (1966)
• Bill Doggett Disques Black And Blue 33.029 (1971) - released on CD as I Don't Know Much About Love (Black & Blue 59.029) in 1991
• Bill Doggett feat. Eddie Davis & Eddie Vinson Disques Black And Blue 33.138 (1978) - with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson
• Midnight Slows, Vol. 9 Disques Black And Blue 33.145 (1978)
• Midnight Slows, Vol. 10 Disques Black And Blue 33.160 (1979) - with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
• Mister Honky Tonk Disques Black And Blue 33.562 (1980)
• The Right Choice After Hours/Ichiban AFT-4112 (1991) - Doggett's last recorded album of original material; also released on CD

CD releases/compilations of note

• Gon' Doggett Charly R&B CRB-1094 [LP] (1985)
• Trading Licks Charly R&B CD-51 (1987) [shared CD with Earl Bostic; 12 tracks by Doggett and 8 tracks by Bostic; all King material]
• Leaps And Bounds Charly R&B CD-281 (1991)
• The EP Collection See For Miles SEECD-689 (1999)
• Everyday, I Have The Blues (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions) Black & Blue BB-911 (2002)
• Honky Tonk: The Very Best Of Bill Doggett Collectables 2876 (2004)
• The Chronological Bill Doggett 1952-1953 Classics (Blues & Rhythm Series) 5097 (2004)
• Am I Blue Black & Blue BB-468 (2005)
• The Chronological Bill Doggett 1954 Classics (Blues & Rhythm Series) 5175 (2006)
• Honky Tonk Popcorn Beat Goes Public/BGP CDBGPD-249 (2012) - reissue of King 1078 plus 5 bonus tracks
• Everybody Dance The Honky Tonk/Doggett Beat For Dancing Feet Soul Jam 806174 (2019) 2LP-on-1CD
• Dancing With Doggett: Bill Doggett, His Organ & Combo 1955-1960 Jasmine JASMCD-3142 (2019) - compilation that also includes the entire 3,046 People Danced 'Til 4 A.M. album.

As sideman

With Ella Fitzgerald

• Lullabies of Birdland (Decca DL-8149, 1945–1955 [rel. 1956]) - includes "Rough Ridin'", "Smooth Sailing", and "Air Mail Special" with Doggett on organ

With Coleman Hawkins

• The Hawk Talks (Decca DL-8127, 1952–1953 [rel. 1955])

With Helen Humes

• Complete 1927–1950 Studio Recordings (Jazz Factory JFCD-22844, 2001) 3-CD set - includes the 5 tracks that Humes recorded with Doggett's octet for Philo/Aladdin in 1945: "Unlucky Woman", "Every Now And Then", "He May Be Your Man", "Blue Prelude", and "Be-Baba-Leba"

With Willis Jackson

• Call of the Gators (Delmark, DD-460, 1949–1950 Apollo recordings [rel. 1992])

With Illinois Jacquet

• Illinois Jacquet And His Tenor Sax (Aladdin LP-708 [10-inch], 1945–1947 [rel. 1954]; Aladdin LP-803 [rel. 1956]; Imperial LP-9184/LP-12184 [rel. 1962])

With Louis Jordan

• Jivin' with Jordan (Proper Box 47, 1938–1951 Decca recordings [rel. 2002]) 4-CD set

With Lucky Millinder

• The Chronological Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra 1941–1942 (Classics 712, 1993)
• The Chronological Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra 1943–1947 (Classics 1026, 1998)

With Paul Quinichette

• The Vice Pres (EmArcy MG-36027, 1951–1952 [rel. 1954])

With Buddy Tate

• Jumping on the West Coast (Black Lion 760175, 1947–1949 Supreme recordings [rel. 1992])

With Lucky Thompson

• The Chronological Lucky Thompson 1944–1947 (Classics 1113, 2000)

See also

• Biography portal

• Chicago Blues Festival