Artist

Billy Paul

Last updated: 4 days ago

Billy Paul earned all his hits in the '70s as an R&B vocalist, although he'd been recording since the '50s, when he debuted on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Jubilee%22">Jubilee</a>. Born in Philadelphia in 1935, Paul was featured on radio broadcasts at the age of 11 and had an extensive jazz background. (He worked with <a href="spotify:artist:32LHRiof0sa4taYew9i3Fa">Dinah Washington</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0kbYTNQb4Pb1rPbbaF0pT4">Miles Davis</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0W498bDDNlJIrYMKXdpLHA">Roberta Flack</a>, as well as <a href="spotify:artist:4Ww5mwS7BWYjoZTUIrMHfC">Charlie Parker</a>, before forming a trio and recording for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Jubilee%22">Jubilee</a>.)

His original 1959 recording of "Ebony Woman" for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22New+Dawn%22">New Dawn</a> was later re-recorded for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Neptune%22">Neptune</a> as the title of his 1970 LP. He signed the next year with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Philadelphia+International%22">Philadelphia International</a> and scored his biggest hit in 1972 with "Me and Mrs. Jones," topping both the R&B and pop charts. Paul had one other Top Ten R&B single, "Thanks for Saving My Life," in 1974. He remained on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Philadelphia+International%22">Philadelphia International</a> until the mid-'80s. Paul recorded one LP for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Total+Experience%22">Total Experience</a> in 1985, Lately, and another for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Ichiban%22">Ichiban</a> before announcing his retirement in 1989 in London. He continued to do occasional club dates, however, both in America and overseas. He died in April 2016 at the age of 80. ~ Ron Wynn, Rovi

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