| Hi Wilmer,
Billy was a FANTASTIC player. He was a legend in the Detroit area. I saw him play many times. When I was a youngster, he was one of the guys my dad would make a point of taking me to see play.
As I posted in another thread, my wife started playing organ in a church in Detroit about a year ago. I saw the name Billy Horner as one of the ushers. I introduced myself to the man who turned out to be Billy's son, and told him how much I admired his father. Two weeks later I performed in the church with my wife. I had not told him that I was a player. When he heard me his wife and he came and asked me if I wanted his personal music. They had given his horns to the Detroit Public School system but kept two fibre cases of his personal music. They had not just wanted to give it away to any one. I said I would be honored to have the music.
The boxes contained several etude and study books. I have been going through them for about a month.
Anyway, Billy Horner was a great trumpet player and more so was a very GOOD MAN. He was always ready to talk music or give advice. He always had time to speak with anyone that wanted to speak with him. He IS missed by thoses in the Detroit area music scene.
I remember once hearing him play at an outdoor cocert where he did "Tenderly" He did the second time through all up an octave and even outdoors, he played it away from the mic and had such great tone and power that it seemed like he filled the whole outside with his sound!
I know he was an inspiration to many young musicians in Detroit. Heck, old ones too!
-cw- |