Bill Potts (musician)
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Bill Potts | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 3, 1928 |
| Died | February 16, 2005 (aged 76) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | Musician, arranger |
| Instrument | Piano |
William Orie Potts (April 3, 1928, Arlington, Virginia – February 16, 2005, Plantation, Florida) was an American jazz pianist and arranger.
Potts played Hawaiian slide-lap steel guitar as a child and accordion in his teens. At age 15, he won an accordion competition with a performance of "Twilight Time".[1] He picked up piano in high school after hearing Count Basie on the radio.[2] He attended Catholic University of America in 1946–1947, then formed his own group under the name Bill Parks, which toured in Massachusetts and Florida.[3] While serving in the Army from 1949 to 1955 he transcribed charts for Army bands; he also composed and arranged for Joe Timer and Willis Conover's ensemble, THE Orchestra, which broadcast on Voice of America radio.[4] He wrote four of the songs on THE Orchestra's 1954 Brunswick Records LP, and recorded some of their live shows, which occasionally featured guest appearances from Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.[5]
