Billy Storm

Finally, in late 1968, Billy became part of the last incarnation of The Sabers/The Valiants/The Untouchables was the soul group Africa, recording for Lou Adler's Ode label. "Here I Stand" was written by Billy and he does part of the lead on it. Five years later, Africa recorded ten more tracks for MGM, but all remain unreleased.

He wrote two songs for the cult film classic Psycho a Go Go (1965).

In 1960 and 1961 Billy had two sessions for Atlantic records (produced by Phil Spector) which resulted in three singles. Most of the songs were old R&B standards: "Dear One," "When You Dance," "A Kiss from Your Lips" and "Honey Love", plus one pop standard "In the Chapel in the Moonlight" but none of these songs charted.

Billy left The Valiants in 1958 and teamed up with the remnants of the group Vita Squires, recording the songs "Every Word of the song" and "Listen to Your Heart" for Hite Morgan and his wife Dorinda. This 1958 pairing was released on the Morgans' Dice label as by Billy Fortune and the Squires and on their Deck label as by Billy Storm and the Squires. Nevertheless Billy Storm and Billy Fortune are one and the same.

African-American singing tenor and songwriter who joined the L.A.-based harmony group "The Sabers" in 1955. He went by the names Billy Jones and Billy Fortune as well. The quartet itself also went by several different names: The Sabers (original name), The Chavelles, The Gents, The Valiants, The Untouchables, The Electras, The Freedoms, The Alley Cats and Africa. Others in the group included at one time or another original members Herbie (last name unknown), Sheridan "Rip" Spencer, Rip's cousin Brice Coefield, and Walter Carter, and others (Chester Pipkin). Billy sang lead on such songs "This Is the Night" (#43 on the R&B chart; #69 on the Pop chart) and the flip tune "Good Golly Miss Molly". Little Richard had recorded the song earlier but the Valiants' version was actually released first in November of 1957.

Billy's only hit record after switching to Columbia (whose files indicate that his contract was purchased from Barbary Coast for $1700), came with "I've Come of Age" in 1959, which made it to #28 on the Pop charts. Mitch Miller handled the session, in which a vocal group chorus was used.