a Bit aBout Billy
Billy Frederick, born (William Frederick Appleget) and raised in (Ewing) Trenton, New Jersey. (home to Richie Cole, Jon Stewart, Ernie Kovacs, Star Jones, Justices Scalia and Alito, Judith Light, Dennis Rodman, Richard Kind). Studied Music at Hammond for B3 and M3 organs and then at Trenton Conservatory of Music for organ, piano and theory. First public performance at ten years old at War Memorial Auditorium of Trenton. First gig at twelve demonstrating for Hammond at many venues. Started learning audio engineering at sixteen and ran shows for Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Peter Duchin, Lionel Hampton, Peter Nero, and the Princeton University Prom. Moved to Florida in 1978 as a bartender at the Stouffer’s Hotel in Jake’s Place patio bar and Top of the Surf Restaurant with the (Amy Hartmann, co-ed at Univ of Michigan) and college-girls-given-name of “Mr. Bill”. Across the street, a new club opened called Coconuts and Mr. Bill moved over to bartend for the next three years. He slowly morphed away from bartender into playing piano in Coconuts, Top of the Surf, and also the Yankee Clipper with singer Cindy Bell. The name carried into music, but when Cindy moved away, he changed his stage name to Billy Frederick, as “Mr. Bill”, the Saturday Night Live character disappeared from the show. And for the past 40+ years played regularly at clubs, restaurants, and hotels up and down Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Miami Beach, and Palm Beach, Don Cohen’s Musicians’ Exchange and opened for late vocal jazz great Kenny Rankin. Played with legend Jaco Pastorius, Duffy Jackson, Bill Peoples, Kenny Millions, Jimmy Dean and many others locally. From 1997 to 2011 was the headliner with partner Teresa Garrett at (Don) Shula’s on the Beach, Ft. Lauderdale. In 2017, moved to Phoenix (Mesa) Arizona, and presently plays at restaurants, senior communities, and clubs throughout the area.