Billy Munn

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About Billy Munn

b. 12 May 1911, Glasgow, Scotland, d. 2 May 2000, Scotland. His father led a local amateur orchestra and at the age of seven Munn began formal piano studies at the Athenaeum School of Music. Four years later, while still at school, he was playing piano at silent movie theatres in Glasgow. He graduated to playing with an orchestra and at 14 played in a dance band. Eventually, he and a friend, Andy Lothian, became regulars at Glasgow’s Kings Café where they were heard by a local theatrical impresario. Munn moved on to larger venues and at 17 was ready for the big-time. In London he played with Arthur Rosebery then returned to Glasgow to audition for Jack Hylton’s band, which happened to be appearing in Scotland. From 1930 he played with Hylton throughout the UK, Europe and also visited the USA. When Hylton remained in the USA, Munn led the band in London for a while, then joined Sydney Lipton. During World War II Munn played whenever he could and after the war continued playing in various London nightspots and also in Brittany. He broadcast on the BBC’s Jazz Club but was then hired to lead a band at Torquay’s Imperial Hotel, where he remained for the next 30 years. In the early 90s Munn still played in shows at theatres along England’s south coast.

HOMETOWN
Glasgow, Scotland
BORN
May 12, 1911
GENRE
Classical Crossover

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