Billy Bissett And His Orchestra

Orchestra dance band led by Billy Bissett. Also billed as Billy Bissett & His Canadians and Billy Bissett & His Waltz Time Orchestra. Originally from Canada, From 1931 to 1936 played at hotels in Montreal, Quebec and Toronto. In 1936 Jule Styne saw them play at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto and booked them to play at the International Sporting Club resort casino in Monte Carlo. This engagement led them to being booked at Savoy Hotel, London in 1936 then Mayfair Hotel, London in 1936 and 1937. It was while playing at the Mayfair the band started recording under the original name they used in Europe, Billy Bissett & His Canadians. Due to labour laws Billy's wife and band vocalist Alice Mann could not perform with the band initially and many of the original Canadians would return home and be replaced by British musicians. In 1937 the band then had an extended engagement at Café de Paris until August 1939. Billy and Alice returned to North America in 1940 and played with a reformed orchestra based in Chicago under his alias Billy Bishop during the 40s and 50s until Billy left the music business in 1953 to become a stockbroker.