Billy Bland
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Biography
Billy Bland, born William Bland on 5 April 1932 in Wilmington, North Carolina, was an American singer known for his contributions to soul music. He kicked off his singing career in the late 1940s as a member of The Four Bees, a New York-based vocal quartet. In 1954, the group released two singles on Imperial Records: "Toy Bell / Snatchinâ Back" and "I Want to Be Loved / Get Away Baby". Billy Bland left The Four Bees in 1955 to pursue a solo career, signing with Old Town Records. His initial releases, including "Chicken in the Basket / The Fat Man", did not achieve significant success. However, his breakthrough came in January 1960 with the release of "Let the Little Girl Dance", which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 on the R&B charts. This song remained his only top hit, but he continued to chart with additional titles until 1961. His last notable release was "A Little Touch / Little Boy Blue" in May 1963. He passed away on 22 March 2017 in New York City.
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