Billy Raymond

Billy Raymond (6 January 1938 – 15 May 2013) was a Scottish-Australian entertainer.

Early career

He was born Raymond Jamieson Hubner on 6 January 1938 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the second son of May and Lawrence Hubner.

Raymond became a Paisley Abbey choirboy and was called "Scotland's Wonder Boy Soprano" before his voice broke. Young Raymond gathered theatrical experience by performing locally during the 1950s while studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD). His first two records, first print 78 r.p.m. discs, second print 45 r.p.m., "Makin' Love/I Would" and "One in Particular/"Seven Daughters", were released in 1958, when he also appeared in his first networked BBC TV series, The Night and the Music. In 1959 he recorded another single on 45 r.p.m., "Charlie Is Their Darling"/"Loch Lomond". He made several guest appearances in the BBC Television pop series Six-Five Special.

In 1960 he was the compere of a touring pop show starring Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, during which Cochran was killed in a car accident. He also compered the summer season pop show at the Queen's Theatre, Blackpool, starring Marty Wilde, Billy Fury et al.