Artist page

Billy Steward was an American pop, soul, and rhythm & blues singer, drummer, pianist, and songwriter, born on March 24, 1937, in Washington, D.C. He passed away on January 17, 1970, in a car accident in Neuse River, Smithfield, North Carolina. In the early 1960s, Stewart collaborated with A&R man Billy Davis, recording songs such as "Fat Boy," "Reap What You Sow," and "Strange Feeling," all of which made the Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 30 in the R&B charts. In 1965, Stewart returned to Chess Records, where he developed his unique word-doubling singing technique. He released "I Do Love You," which reached #6 on the R&B chart and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he recorded "Sitting in the Park," hitting #4 on the R&B chart and #24 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1966, Stewart arranged a favorite aria from Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess, titled "Summertime." His exceptional cadenza scatting skills brought excitement to the composition, leading to a recording that reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 700,000 records. Stewart also worked with The Stewart Gospel Singers, The Marquees, and The Rainbows.

For any edit requests, please reach out to info@rovr.live