Billy May Signed(Glenn Miller,Sinatra,Big Band,Jazz,50s

This auction is for a rare typed, hand-signed letter with great content, from musical legend, BILLY MAY plus Glenn Miller's Method For Orchestral Arranging--the book May talks about in his letter!

Among other things, he writes:

"...The GM arranging book was ghosted for Glenn by an arranger named Charlie Hathaway. I remember it very well, because Bill Finnegan and I discovered that Charlie tho't the lowest note on a cello was E instead of C--maybe it had been corrected in the edition of the book you have...

"...When John Williams gave up the Boston gig, and Sinatra passed away, I figured that was a sign for me to stop. I still get calls (from Bobby Darin's son and Barry Manilow, which I am happy to turn down) and F Sinatra Jr. calls about every six months with an idea, and then six months go by and he has a new idea-it never gets beyond the discussion stage!!...

"Popular music has steadily regressed during my lifetime...thank you for your interest in my junk..."

Billy May was a major figure in 20th century recorded popular music, as an arranger, conductor, composer, & musician. He played trumpet with the big bands of Glenn Miller & Charlie Barnet; his greatest success was as an arranger for Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Stan Freberg and many others.

He composed for big bands, films and TV, but his most popular song hit was I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat, written for Mel Blanc.

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 *** Typed on plain paper, 8  1/2" x 11",  dated May 18, 1999.  Nice signature.  Good condition, some light wear, light corner crease, small surface indentations, & two mailing folds.  ***  

This could be nicely matted with a photograph to make a unique display piece!

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*** The unsigned book that accompanies this letter is in fair condition. The cover is attached to the book but is pulling away, so the binding fabric can be seen inside the front and back covers at the spine. Last 2" at the bottom has pulled away from fabric and spine. Please see scans.

There is some wear to the spine and corners, scuffing of the cover and edges, some fading and discoloration to the cover. Pages show moderate wear and light toning--no brittleness to the paper--but are clean and not loose.

Mutual Music Society, 1943. 116 pages with photos and many musical examples.

It's a former Ft. Lee library book, with stamps inside the front & back covers.

FROM THE INTRODUCTION: "As a young arranger, I was always searching for some work that actually described the process invovled in making orchestral arrangements. Many comprehensive volumes have been written about harmony, theory, counterpoint, orchestration, and composition, but to my knowledge, no book has ever been written which actually told how to make an arrangement. If this book in any way solves this problem for ambitious young arrangers it shall have fulfilled the purpose for which it is intended. Glenn Miller"

Celebrities sign many photos, cards, books, etc., but a hand-written letter expressing their personal thoughts, beliefs, opinions, experiences, and ideas is a rarity!

I usually have other handwritten, signed items in my auction listings and in my eBay Store! Please check them out. 

Please see the scans showing views of this possibly unique item, and read description above. 

  I offer authentic, original hand-signed items, not copies or reproductions of any kind. Vintage paper items, such as the one offered, will sometimes show signs of handling and wear, markings, creases, folds, smudges or perforations. Condition of this item is as shown in the scans and described above.

Unconditionally guaranteed to be authentically hand-signed by Billy May. A Money-Back Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity Receipt is included. I am a longtime collector and member of the UACC(Richard Duncan) and only offer hand-signed autographs I know to be genuine.

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2.) ALL autographed items are sold with a Lifetime Money-Back Guarantee of Authenticity receipt. (Autographs since 1983).

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