Billy J. Kramer

Billy J. Kramer (born William Howard Ashton, 19 August 1943, in Bootle, Liverpool, England) is a former British Invasion/Merseybeat singer. In sharing Brian Epstein as a manager with The Beatles he enjoyed access to the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney, recording several of their original compositions. He grew up as the youngest of seven siblings and attended the St George of England Secondary School, Bootle. He then took up an engineering app... more

Billy J. Kramer (born William Howard Ashton, 19 August 1943, in Bootle, Liverpool, England) is a former British Invasion/Merseybeat singer. In sharing Brian Epstein as a manager with The Beatles he enjoyed access to the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney, recording several of their original compositions. He grew up as the youngest of seven siblings and attended the St George of England Secondary School, Bootle. He then took up an engineering apprenticeship with British Railways and in his spare time played rhythm guitar in a group he had formed himself, before switching to become a vocalist. The performing name Kramer was chosen at random from a telephone directory. It was John Lennon's suggestion that the "J" be added to the name to further distinguish him by adding a 'tougher edge'. Kramer soon came to the attention of Brian Epstein, ever on the look-out for new talent to add to his expanding roster of local artists. Kramer turned professional but his then backing group, the... less