Artist page

Billy J. Kramer, born William Ashton, was discovered by Brian Epstein and paired with the Manchester-based group The Dakotas. His stage name, Kramer, was randomly selected from a telephone directory, and John Lennon suggested adding the "J" for a tougher edge. Kramer rose to fame with a series of songs specially written for him by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, including "I'll Keep You Satisfied," "From a Window," "I Call Your Name," and "Bad to Me." He also released "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" which reached #2, backed by "I'll Be on My Way," a song that was unreleased by The Beatles. The Dakotas themselves achieved Top 20 success in 1963, with "Little Children" becoming their biggest hit, reaching #2 in the USA.

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