Today is the birthday of one of my favorite 50's composers, Bill Doggett. Born on Wednesday, February 16, 1916, in Philadelphia, he was an American pianist and organist.
Doggett and Shep Shepard wrote one of my favorite songs to dance to, Honky Tonk, when I was in my mid-teens in junior high school (that's what it was called back then). It is a moderately paced tune that, depending on your mood and who you're dancing with, can be slow or fast danced to. And of course, Clifford Scott sends me out of this world with his incredible sax work.
The year previously Doggett did an instrumental version of What A Diff'rence A Day Made that he completely knocked out of the park. While he played keyboard he is accompanied by a terrific sax (don't know if it was Scott). Where Dinah Washington sings it slow and dreamy, Doggett rocks it out. And rock hadn´t even been invented yet!
Bill Doggett began his career playing swing music then went into rhythm and blues; he was a pioneer of rock and roll and is known for his instrumental compositions Honky Tonk and Hippy Dippy, He worked with some of the great musicians of the period: the Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan were some of them.
He continued to play and arrange until he died when he was 80 from cancer on November 13, 1996, in New York City.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A - Honky Tonk (Part 1) - 2:40
Side 2:
B - Honky Tonk (Part 2) - 2:32
Companies, etc.
Side 1:
A - Honky Tonk (Part 1) - 2:40
Side 2:
B - Honky Tonk (Part 2) - 2:32
Companies, etc.
Published By – Billace
Credits:
Written-By – Doggett*, Butler*, Scott*, Shepherd*
Notes:
Label variant "High" not italicized
Slightly shorter writers credit line
Runouts are etched
(Billace-BMI)
Instrumental
High Fidelity
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Label variant "High" not italicized
Slightly shorter writers credit line
Runouts are etched
(Billace-BMI)
Instrumental
High Fidelity
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Rights Society: BMI
Matrix / Runout (A-side - label): 45—K8767
Matrix / Runout (B-side - label): 45—K8768
Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 1): K-45-8767-1
Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 1): K-45-8768-2
Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 2): K-45-8767-1
Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 2): K-45-8768-1
Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 3): K-45-8767-2
Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 3): K-45-8768-2
Matrix / Runout (A-side - label): 45—K8767
Matrix / Runout (B-side - label): 45—K8768
Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 1): K-45-8767-1
Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 1): K-45-8768-2
Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 2): K-45-8767-1
Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 2): K-45-8768-1
Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 3): K-45-8767-2
Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 3): K-45-8768-2
Bill Doggett – Honky Tonk
Label: King Records (3) – 45-4950
Format: Vinyl, 7", Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Funk / Soul, Blues
Style: Rhythm & Blues, Instrumental
Net links:
YouTube links:
Label: King Records (3) – 45-4950
Format: Vinyl, 7", Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Funk / Soul, Blues
Style: Rhythm & Blues, Instrumental
Viewfinder links:
Net links:
YouTube links:
Bill Doggett ~ Honky Tonk Pt. 1 & 2
Styrous® ~ Monday, February 16, 2026
