Billy Maxted

Who was Billy Maxted?

Billy Maxted was an American jazz pianist.

Maxted started out playing and arranging for the Red Nichols big band from 1937 to 1940. He worked Ben Pollack, Teddy Powell and Will Bradley. He was a fine pianist and arranger. After serving in the Navy he provided arrangements for Benny Goodman and Claude Thornhill and co-led a band with Ray Eberle. His composition "Manhattan Spiritual" was a top-10 hit for Reg Owen in 1959.

In New York, Maxted was a fixture at Nick's in Greenwich Village. He lived in Long Island for much of his life until he moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1961. That year, he reached the Billboard "Bubbling Under The Top 100" chart with a swing version of "Satin Doll".