Bill Doggett

Bill Doggett was a rock-and-roll pioneer; his 1956 hit "Honky Tonk" has been hailed as the first rock instrumental. Raised on the streets of North Philadelphia and a graduate of Central High School, Bill Doggett had been making music from an early age, turning from the trumpet to the piano at age 13, and by 15 he was playing in the pit orchestra of a local theater. He played in Lucky Millinder's band for a time, and was pianist and arranger for The Ink Spots. He also played for and recorded with such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Otis, Wynonnie Harris and, in 1949, Louis Jordan. After leaving Jordan, Doggett was encouraged to start using the organ in his musical renditions, and he was playing it when "Honky Tonk" was recorded for King Records. In his later years he returned to his jazz roots and was heard in a number of venues both in the United States and overseas.