Billy Munro

Billy Munro (* 1894 in Grenada , † October 16, 1969 in Montreal ) was a Canadian-American pianist and composer.

Munro grew up with an uncle in London and studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music and University College School . Around 1910 he first went to the USA, where he worked as a silent film pianist in various cities. From 1913 he lived - also as a silent film pianist - in Montreal. From 1918 to 1920 he was a member of the Ted Lewis Orchestra , for which he also composed. When My Baby Smiles at Me became a hit in the US and was featured in several films, including a. used in Hold That Ghost (1941) and Behind the Eight Ball (1942).

In 1920 Munro returned to Canada and became a member of the Melody Kings . With this ensemble he made several recordings for Herbert Berliner 's Apex label , including his own compositions such as I'll Be Here When You Get Back and Music Makes the World Go Round . From 1925 to 1929 he performed with the Melody Kings at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal.

Munro later founded the Carabet Le Frolic (later renamed Fainsan doré ) and his own dance orchestra, with which he a. a. was engaged in Chez Maurice , the Lido and the Gatineau Country Club .

From the mid-1940s Munro worked for the radio. From 1944 he had his own program at the station CKAC and in 1946 became musical director of the newly founded CKVL. Here he led the successful program Les découvertes de Billy Munro for years and worked as music director on Jacques Normand's Le fantôme au clavier . He worked with Normand from 1948 to 1950 in the Faisan doré , then until the mid-1960s in its cabaret shows.

source

• Library and Archives Canada - The Virtual Gramophone - Billy Munro
• Billy Munro in the Internet Movie Database (English)