Billy Stritch (born February 12, 1962) is an American composer, arranger, vocalist, and jazz pianist. For many years he was best known as a confidant, music director, and piano player forLiza Minnelli.^[1]

Stritch was born on February 12, 1962, inHouston and grew up inSugar Land, Texas. Af 8 or 9, he heard big band music for the first time. In 1979, he graduated fromDulles High School in Sugar Land which had a "great"music education program; he played in the school's jazz band. He played in a jazz vocal trio while at theUniversity of Houston. The trio played jazz festivals for nine years. The trio broke up and Stritch moved toNew York City.^[2] Stritch met singerMarilyn Maye about 1980, while she was playing a club in Houston.^[3][4] Since then, he has worked as her frequent accompanist and music director. He recorded his first album in 1992, the self-styled jazz LP,Billy Stritch.^[5]

Stritch and Sandy Knox composed the 1994 Grammy Award-winning country song, "Does He Love You," which was recorded byReba McEntire andLinda Davis. The song, about alove triangle, follows a commontrope. It peaked as a number onecountry music hit in both theUnited States andCanada ending 1993 as the 52nd biggest hit in Canada,^[6] and in the top 40 in the United States.^[7] The single won theGrammy award for Best Country Vocal Collaboration,^[8][9] and although nominated,^[10] Stritch lost the best song Grammy toMary Chapin Carpenter for "Passionate Kisses."^[9] Stritch and Knox had written the song when they were part of the trio back in 1982, but until McEntire "grabbed it ... in 1993" and made a surprise hit with it, nobody had recorded the ballad. EvenWynonna Judd rejected it because she "didn't like to sing songs about marital problems."^[11] In 1996, Minnelli released the song as a duet withDonna Summer, from Minnelli's album, "Gently". In 1997, it appeared onPatti LaBelle's album,Flame.

For 23 years, Stritch was associated with Liza Minnelli, as her "confidant", music director, and piano player.^[2][9][12] They met when Stritch was playing piano inManhattan, in March 1991.^[2][13] That night seeing her, he played musical themes from films ofVincente Minnelli, her father, and they hit it off immediately.^[1] He arranged the music for her show atRadio City Music Hall and opened her act on a national tour of the U.S.^[13] In 1999, he arranged music for Liza Minnelli'sBroadwayone-woman showMinnelli on Minnelli: Live at the Palace, and performed with her in 2008'sLiza's at the Palace.^[14] Stritch co-wrote, withBrian Lane Green,I Would Never Leave You forLiza's at the Palace..., aJohnny Rodgers song which was produced byPhil Ramone.

In 2008, Minnelli praised Stritch for their long collaboration on herFacebook page.^[15] They performed together for the 2009 grand re-opening of theGuildhall in Easthampton, Long Island. Stritch joked that he couldn't afford a "cottage" in theHamptons.^[16]

In 2001, he performed as Oscar in the 2001 Broadway revival of42nd Street.^[14][5] In the same year he released his third major disc,Jazz Live on Sin-Drome Records, receiving excellent reviews.^[17] At that time, he first metChristine Ebersole, who was also in the cast.^[18] Stritch performed in a 2003 concert ofAmanda Green's original revuePut a Little Love in Your Mouth!, atoff-Broadway'sSecond Stage Theater in March 2003, which also featuredJessica Molaskey andMario Cantone.^[19] On most Monday nights since 2003 Stritch provides piano accompaniment for the open mic smorgasbord which is known as "Cast Party," hosted by his long-time friend Jim Caruso atBirdland, a Manhattan jazz club.

In 2006, he developed a new show to serve as a tribute to his idol,Mel Tormé, opening at New York's Metropolitan Club.The New York Times reviewer wrote that "Mr. Stritch, who even looks a bit like his idol, exudes a similarly cultivated bonhomie. But he has a bigger, rougher voice."^[12] Stritch has taken the show nationally, beginning in 2007 and going until at least 2013.^[20]

ForChristmas 2006 he played at theIridium in New York with guest performers Liza Minnelli,Lainie Kazan,Ann Hampton Callaway, andSally Mayes.^[13] His recording ofDreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael withKlea Blackhurst was released in October 2008.^[21] He has performed frequently withLinda Lavin, touring nationally with her in 2017 and 2018.^[22][23] He has also performed with duets withChristine Ebersole;^[1][18]Variety said he punctuated "the lady's repertoire with vigorous piano and vocal support."^[24]

He performed at a benefit forBroadway Cares withLuann de Lesseps, of the reality television show,The Real Housewives of New York City, whom she called among "the best in the business."^[25] In 2013, Stritch joined Jim Caruso in a cabaret show in New York.^[26]Rex Reed wrote about the show saying "Every Sunday in December, when the Café Carlyle across the hall is dark, the glamorousBemelmans Bar is hosting the most enchanting holiday party in town."^[26]

Stritch returned to his home town for a gig in 2014, where the Sugar Land Auditorium was renamed the "Billy Stritch Stage" in his honor.^[27] In 2015, Stritch toured the U.S. and Canada with Caruso for their show, "The Sinatra Century."^[1][28] He headlined at the 2016Provincetown Jazz Festival onCape Cod.^[29] In 2019, he performed withMarilyn Maye at theCotuit Center for the Arts inCotuit, one of the villages ofBarnstable, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.^[30]

• "The Sunday Set: Recorded Live at The Birdland Theatre" with Jim Caruso (2022)
• "Billy's Place" (2020)
• "Christmas at Birdland" with Jim Caruso and Klea Blackhurst (2019)
• "A Swinging Birdland Christmas" with Jim Caruso and Klea Blackhurst (2016)
• "Billy Stritch Sings Mel Tormè" (2012)
• "Dreaming of a Song: the Music of Hoagy Carmichael " with Klea Blackhurst (2008)
• "Sunday in New York" with Christine Ebersole (2008)
• "Billy Stritch -- Jazz Live" (2006)
• "In Your Dreams" with Christine Ebersole (2005)
• "Waters of March -- The Brazilian Album" (1997)
• "Billy Stritch" (1992)
• "The Life"
• "Sondheim - a Celebration at Carnegie Hall"
• "Jim Caruso: Live and In Person"
• Guest artist onBenny Carter'sBenny Carter Songbook (1996) andBenny Carter Songbook Volume II (MusicMasters65134-2 1997)
• Schechter, Scott and Stritch, Billy (2004).The Liza Minnelli Scrapbook. Citadel.ISBN 9780806526119

• Official website
• Billy Stritch at theInternet Broadway Database
• Billy Stritch atIMDb