Billy Armstrong

Fiddler Country US né William Russell Armstrong, le 18 mars 1930 à Streator (Illinois). Billy Armstrong a débuté en 1943 dans les "Bob Lively's Dude Ranch Cowboys". Ensuite il fonde "Billy Armstrong & the Westerners" puis passe dans différents groupes Western Swing ("Tommy Duncan's Western All Stars", "Hi Busse & the Frontiersmen", "The Westernaires", "Hank Thompson's Brazos Valley Boys", "Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree" et "Tex Williams' Band". En 1966 on le retrouve au sein des "Sons of the Pioneers", jusqu'en 1972. Durant les années 70, Billy a produit 3 albums solo. Il fut nommé "Fiddle Player" pendant 13 années par l'ACM.

Billy Armstrong was one of country music's premier fiddle players from 1965-1977, and was named Fiddle Player of the Year 13 years in a row by the ACM. He first played professionally in 1943 with Bob Lively's Dude Ranch Cowboys, quitting after four years to form Billy Armstrong & the Westerners, a group that included Don Hoag (drums), Bobby Wagoner (guitar), and Billy Strange (guitar). Armstrong began playing on the radio in 1948 on Spade Cooley Presents; the following year, he replaced "Lefty" Joe Holley in Tommy Duncan's Western All Stars. After playing on several of Duncan's recording sessions for the Intro label, he returned to L.A. and joined Hi Busse & the Frontiersmen, playing with them until 1951. Armstrong briefly played with another band until founding the Westernaires.
Following their 1957 breakup, Armstrong joined Hank Thompson's Brazos Valley Boys for six months. Road life finally exhausted him and he quit, returned to L.A., and joined Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree and then Tex Williams' band. He released two singles, "Gloria" and "If You Leave While I'm Sleeping," in 1959. In 1965, Armstrong won his first ACM Fiddler of the Year award and also released the single "The Orange Blossom Special." He then played with Gene Davis on the television series Star Route before joining the Sons of the Pioneers in 1966, with whom he sang lead and alternating tenor. He stayed with the Pioneers until early 1972, when he joined the Chaparral Brothers. During the 1970s, Armstrong also had a solo recording career, which produced three albums.

1910

2000

DISCOGRAPHY

Singles

1959	SP WILDCAT ? (US)	Gloria / Sleeping At The Foot Of The Bed
1959	SP TOPPA ? (US)	If You Leave While I'm Sleeping / Heartbreak Valley
1965	SP ? (US)	Orange Blossom Special / The High Cost Of Leaving
1978	SP 4 STAR 1012 (US)	Lonely Street / ?

Albums

1976	LP 12" WESTWOOD WRS 104 (UK)	MR. FIDDLE
1976	LP 12" HILLSIDE HS 102 (US)	WORLD'S GREATEST FIDDLE PLAYER - THE BEST OF BILLY ARMSTRONG
1976 ?	LP 12" HILLSIDE HS 103 (US)	BILLY DON'T SELL YOUR FIDDLE
08/2010	CD HILLSIDE 22102 (US)	WORLD'S GREATEST FIDDLE PLAYER - Billy's Orange Blossom Special / Prosperity Special / Lucille / Diggy Liggy Lo / Heartaches By The Number / Silver Wings / Cotton-Eyed Joe / Roly-Poly / Amazing Grace / Stay A Little Longer / I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry / The Devil Went Down To Georgia