The Singles & EPs Collection 1954-62

Billy Vaughn was one of the most successful orchestra leaders, conductors and arrangers in the post-war era, scoring more instrumental successes in the singles charts than any of his contemporaries in that sector of the market during the ‘50s and ‘60s. His distinctive sound, featuring his signature saxophone styling, was unmistakeable, his chart successes comprising not only his own compositions, but also adaptations of current hits for the middle-of-the-road market. He began his career as a pianist, coming to fame when he formed The Hilltoppers vocal group in 1952 as pianist, songwriter, arranger and singer, and after a number of hits with them jumped ship to become musical director at the group’s record label Dot, for whom he arranged hits by many artists such as Pat Boone, Fontane Sisters, Gale Storm, Tab Hunter and Debbie Reynolds. However, he also recorded prolifically under his own name. This great value 96-track 3-CD set comprises the A & B sides of his US and UK singles during the period, plus selected tracks from six of his EPs, so is a comprehensive overview of his output on 45s from the era. It naturally features all the forty and more recordings which made some kind of chart showing, including the Top 10 hits “Melody Of Love”, “Shifting, Whispering Sands” “Raunchy” and “Sail Along Silvery Moon”, as he flew the flag for a sound which defied the revolution that was changing the face of pop during the mid-‘50s.