Bill Henderson
b. William Randall Henderson, 19 March 1930, Chicago, Illinois, USA. He began singing as a toddler but delayed full entry into show business until he was in his early twenties. In the early '50s he sang in and around Chicago, often with Ramsey Lewis. At the end of the decade he visited New York, playing and recording with a number of leading bop musicians including Horace Silver, before returning to Chicago and Lewis. In the early '60s he had stints with Oscar Peterson and Count Basie, then relocated to Los Angeles where he began a new career as an actor. He did not abandon singing and continued to perform whenever opportunities arose, including work on television and recording. Two of his albums, STREET OF DREAMS and TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY MERCER were nominated for Grammy awards. A vibrant, blues-influenced singer with great rhythmic drive, Henderson's preference for an acting career has kept him from establishing the wide international reputation his talent deserves.