He is a songwriter, producer and engineer who often collaborated with other artists and songwriters. He is best known for the song “That’s Life” which he wrote with Dean Kay, and Frank Sinatra brought to fame in the album and single of the same name which both achieved chart success in the UK and the US.
As a producer of Capitol Records he worked with many artists including Glenn Campbell and The Checkmates Ltd. In 1967 he received a demo of Bobby Gentry’s and she was subsequently signed to his label and he issued her debut single “Mississippi Delta/Ode to Billie Joe”.
He released his solo single “Some Old Funky Blues” in the late ’60s and his solo album Defunked in 1969.
Joe Bananas Recordings
Banana Head (Oh Bananas What You’re Doing To Me)
(Bill Norvas/Kelly Gordon)
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme
(Kelly Gordon/Bill Norvas/Wright)