Bill Doggett

Organist Bill Doggett cut one of the biggest-selling instrumentals of all time with the two-part 1956 single "Honky Tonk." He formed his first band in 1938 and sold the entire outfit to Lucky Milinder for a soda two years later. Doggett worked extensively with Millinder and Louis Jordan and recorded with Ella Fitzgerald before striking out on his own. He signed with King in Cincinnati around 1953, churning out a slew of sizzling instrumentals with Clifford Scott on tenor sax, Billy Butler on guitar, and Doggett on organ, notably the number two smash "Honky Tonk," which became the top-selling R&B song of 1956. Several follow-ups earned notice as well, including "Ram-Bunk-Shush" in 1957 and "Leaps and Bounds," plus the oft-covered "Hold It" in 1958. Doggett continued to tour and record into the '90s, and was featured with the King All-Stars, a distinguished group of alumni from the famous label.