wiseone2

William Horner was a black trumpet player.
Billy Horner is a forgotten name in the trumpet world. Billy was a member of Leopold Stokowski's "All American Youth Orchestra."
I learned of Billy from Joe Fischer, the second trumpet player in the Baltimore Symphony during my stay there. Joe was a member of the section, that was led by Saul Caston.
Billy was a mainstay in the Motown recording scene.
I met Billy many years ago in Philadelphia, Billy was playing with one of the acts of the "Motown Revue,"those shows were chop busters! I had no idea of his symphonic connection until Baltimore.
A memorial concert for Billy was done in February. Ramon Parcells and Brian Moon were special guest performers. Maybe Brian can tell us more about Billy.
Wilmer

Solar Bell

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-

Manny Laureano

Guys,

Thanks for not allowing someone who was apparently a wonderful player and person to leave us, who didn't know him, unnoticed.

It would nice if you knew of a recording or two that featured his work to tell what they might be.

Thanks again,

ML

trickg

I just did a google on him. Without digging at all, I found session credits of Billy from the Temptations to Stevie Wonder. That's impressive. That, and we've probably all heard his work without ever even realizing it.

Thanks Wilmer.