Billy Diamond Marker

Billy Diamond
“Mayor of the 9th Ward”
(1916-2011)
 
Louis Armstrong gave teenage Billy Diamond a trumpet. He became a bass player under the mentorship of Oscar “Papa” Celestin. In 1947, Billy asked Antoine Domino to join his band the Solid Senders and nicknamed him “Fats.” He acted as Fats Domino’s 1950’s road manager. In the early 1960s, Billy moved to Los Angeles and worked as a music club manager and record promoter.