William E.May, people also known as Billy May, was born on November 10, 1916 at pittsburgh (pennsylvania). He died on January 22, 2004. He was American Composer, arranger and musician. He died cause by heath failure at 87 years old in San Juan Capistrano, California. He played trumpet in big bands Charlie Barnet on 1939. His arrangement of the Ray Noble composition "Cherokee" became a major hit of the swing music era. During the Barnet days, May revealed a significant flair for satire on a composition titled "The Wrong Idea", composed with Charlie Barnet, that ridiculed the bland "Mickey Mouse" style of safe big band music with specific musical mockery of bandleader Sammy Kaye, known for his "swing and sway" trademark. May's caustic lyrics to the song called it "swing and sweat with Charlie Barnet"
