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Bill Black's Combo

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Bill Black (bassist in Elvis Presley's early band) formed Bill Black's Combo in 1959. The original lineup was Black (bass), Joe Lewis Hall (piano), Reggie Young (guitar), Martin Willis (saxophone), and Jerry Arnold (drums). There were several personnel changes over the next couple of years (Hank Hankins, Chips Moman or Tommy Cogbill on guitar; Ace Cannon on sax; Carl McVoy or Bobby Emmons on piano). "Smokie, Part 2" and "White Silver Sands" were U.S. pop hits (#17 and #9 respectively), and both made #1 on the R&B charts. Eight of their recordings placed in the Top 40 between 1959 and 1962. They were voted Billboard's number one instrumental group of 1961. The band continued to produce albums after Black's death in late 1965.

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Bill Black's Combo has released 397+ albums. Some of their notable releases include Instrumental Hits Of The Rock 'N' Roll Era (1957-1962), The Jasmine Ep Collection, The JFK Inauguration Hot 100 - 20th January 1961. Explore their complete discography on this page.

Some of Bill Black's Combo's most popular tracks include White Silver Sands, Don't Be Cruel, Smokie, Pt. 2, Smokie (Part 2), Little Queenie. Listen to these songs and discover more from their extensive catalog.

Bill Black (bassist in Elvis Presley's early band) formed Bill Black's Combo in 1959. The original lineup was Black (bass), Joe Lewis Hall (piano), Reggie Young (guitar), Martin Willis (saxophone), a... Read the full biography on this page.

You can find Bill Black's Combo vinyl records and merchandise on eBay. We feature a curated selection of vinyl releases and collectibles available for purchase.