Billy Ritchie Musical artist

William Edward Ritchie (born 20 April 1944, Lanark, Scotland) is a British keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of The Satellites, The Premiers, 1-2-3, and Clouds. He is generally acknowledged as being the first keyboard player in rock music to stand and take a leading role, thereby providing a model for others such as Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman. He is also credited as being responsible for rewriting standard songs and arranging music in a style that later became fashionable as progressive rock. During a Saville Theatre concert in 1967, he introduced a then-unknown David Bowie to Jimi Hendrix.

Personal facts

Birth dateApril 20, 1944
Birth place
Scotland , Lanark

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Musical artist

Career started1966
associated musical artist
Clouds (60s rock band)
BackgroundNon vocal instrumentalist
genre
Progressive rock
instrument
Hammond organ
Piano
Keyboard instrument
Hohner
record label
Island Records
Chrysalis Records
EMI
Deram Records

Billy Ritchie on Wikipedia