William Butler Jr. (December 15, 1924 – March 20, 1991) was an American soul jazz guitarist.
Life and career
He was born in Philadelphia. He played with The Harlemaires, Tommy Flanagan, tenor saxophonist Floyd "Candy" Johnson, Houston Person, organist Harry "Doc" Bagby, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, David "Fathead" Newman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bill Doggett, King Curtis, Sammy Price, William (Wild Bill) Davison, Dinah Washington, Panama Francis, Johnny Hodges, Norris Turney, Al Casey, Jackie Williams and others.
He also co-wrote, with Bill Doggett, the 1956 R&B hit "Honky Tonk". He was with the Doggett band from 1954 to 1964 and recorded many albums with the organist.
He is credited as the guitarist on Joey Dee and the Starliters' "Peppermint Twist, Parts 1 & 2" recorded in September 1961 at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. Part 1 of the song went to the top of the Billboard pop charts in January 1962.
Butler died at home in Teaneck, New Jersey, in 1991.
This Is Billy Butler! (Prestige, 1968)
Guitar Soul! (Prestige, 1969)
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow (Prestige, 1970)
Night Life (Prestige, 1971)
Billy Butler Plays Via Galactica (Kilmarnock, 1973)
Guitar Odyssey (Jazz Odyssey, 1974)
Don't Be That Way (Black & Blue, 1976)
With Gene Ammons
Brother Jug! (Prestige, 1969)
The Boss Is Back! (1969)
My Way (Prestige, 1971)
With James Brown
Out of Sight (1964)
Sings Raw Soul (1967)
Messing with the Blues (1990)
Star Time (1991)
With King Curtis
Music for Dancing: The Twist (1961)
Old Gold (1961)
Doing the Dixie Twist (1962)
Blow Man, Blow! (1992)
Night Train (1995)
With Bill Doggett
Moon Dust (King 395-502, 1956)
Hot Doggett (King 395-514, 1956)
As You Desire Me (King 395-523, 1956)
Everybody Dance the Honky Tonk (King 395-531, 1956)
Dame Dreaming With Bill Doggett (King 395-532, 1957)
A Salute to Ellington (King 533, 1957)
The Doggett Beat for Dancing Feet (King 557, 1957)
Candle Glow (King 563, 1958)
Swingin' Easy (King 582, 1958)
Dance Awhile Wwth Doggett (King 585, 1958)
12 Songs of Christmas (King 600, 1958) [reissue of King 295-89 plus six additional tracks]
Hold It! (King 609, 1959)
High and Wide (King 633, 1959)
Big City Dance Party (King 641, 1959)
Bill Doggett on Tour [not a live album] (King 667, 1959)
For Reminiscent Lovers, Romantic Songs By Bill Doggett (King 706, 1960)
Back With More Bill Doggett (King 723, 1960)
The Many Moods of Bill Doggett (King 778, 1962)
Bill Doggett Plays American Songs, Bossa Nova Style (King 830, 1963)
Impressions (King 868, 1963)
Wow! (ABC-Paramount, 1964)
With Dizzy Gillespie
The Melody Lingers On (Limelight, 1966)
It's My Way (Solid State, 1969)
Cornucopia (Solid State, 1969)
With John P. Hammond
1964 Big City Blues
1967 Mirrors
With Johnny Hodges
Blue Pyramid (Verve, 1966) with Wild Bill Davis
Triple Play (RCA Victor, 1967)
With Illinois Jacquet
Spectrum (Argo, 1965)
The King! (Prestige, 1968)
With Freddie King
Freddie King Is a Blues Master, (1969)
Takin' Care of Business, (1985)
With Memphis Slim
Legend of the Blues Vol. 1 (Jubilee, 1967)
The Legacy of the Blues Vol. 7 (Sonet, 1973)
With David Newman
Bigger & Better (Atlantic, 1968)
The Many Facets of David Newman (Atlantic, 1969)
With Houston Person
Goodness! (Prestige, 1969)
Truth! (Prestige, 1970)
Houston Express (Prestige, 1970)
With Jimmy Smith
Hoochie Coochie Man (1966)
Jimmy Smith Plays the Blues (1969)
With Sonny Stitt
Soul Electricity! (Prestige, 1968)
Come Hither (Solid State, 1969)
Goin' Down Slow (Prestige, 1972)
Satan (Cadet, 1974)
With Grady Tate
Windmills of My Mind (1968)
Movin' Day (1975)
With others
Dedicated to You, The "5" Royales (1957)
Back to the Blues, Dinah Washington (1963)
Tough Talk, Panama Francis (1963)
Soul Outing!, Frank Foster (Prestige, 1966)
Grits & Gravy, Eric Kloss (Prestige, 1966)
Jazz for the Jet Set, Dave Pike (Atlantic, 1966)
Oliver Nelson Plays Michelle, Oliver Nelson (Impulse!, 1966)
Soul Drums, Bernard Purdie (Date, 1967)
That Healin' Feelin', Richard "Groove" Holmes (Prestige, 1968)
Workin' on a Groovy Thing, Barbara Lewis (1968)
Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful, Ruth Brown (1969)
Comment, Les McCann (Atlantic, 1970)
Jungle Fire!, Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers (1970)
Something, Shirley Scott (Atlantic, 1970)
Hard Mother Blues, Ernie Wilkins (Mainstream, 1970)
The Chuck Rainey Coalition, Chuck Rainey (1972)
Mind's Eye, Jon Lucien (1974)
Is Having a Wonderful Time, Geoff Muldaur (1975)
The Doctor is In... and Out, Yusef Lateef (Atlantic, 1976)
Jaws Strikes Again, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (Black & Blue, 1976)
Helen, Helen Humes (1980)
What's the Secret of Your Success?, The Coasters (1980)
The Groover, Jimmy McGriff (Jazz America Marketing (JAM), 1982)
Blues 'n' Jazz, B.B. King (1983)
One More for the Road, Charles Brown' (Alligator, 1989)
