To the best of my recollection, I first met Bobby on a recording date in New York City on which I was the arranger. It was for one of the artists who was on the same label as Bobby.

He liked my work and came to other sessions on which I was the arranger.

He was a very talented man in many areas. He was knowledgeable about recording techniques and had a remarkable feel as to what could be done to improve a session.

Along about this time I had made a good friend of Murray the "K." We worked on a couple of projects together including writing a new theme for his radio show called "Swinging Soiree."

I recall a meeting at the Essex House in Manhattan between Murray, Bobby, myself and Murray's mother who had written a song called "Splish Splash."

Bobby was an avid Frank Sinatra fan and so at first he couldn't see himself singing "Splish Splash."

I have always been very commercial minded and saw the potential of a hit in the song. I told Bobby that if he had a hit with "Splish Splash" he could then go the "Sinatra Route."

If my memory serves me well, Bobby requested that I play guitar on the "Splish Splash" recording session. We recorded the song in one of the tiniest recording studios I've ever been in. It was somewhere around 59th Street in Manhattan.

As you know, "Splish Splash" was a huge hit...and Bobby could then pick and choose his own material...for example "Mack the Knife."

December 20, 1973 was a very sad day for me.

Cordially,
Billy Mure