CMT News

Guitarist, songwriter and arranger Billy Strange died Wednesday (Feb. 22) in Nashville at the age of 81. Strange wrote the arrangement for Nancy Sinatra's 1966 hit, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" as well as for "Somethin' Stupid," her 1967 duet with her father, Frank Sinatra. Both songs went No. 1 on the pop charts. His songwriting credits include Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" and "Memories" and Chubby Checker's "Limbo Rock." In his early career, he performed with a variety of bands, among those led by Spade Cooley, Count Basie and Roy Rogers. Strange was also a member of the group of Los Angeles session musicians known informally as the Wrecking Crew. He was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007.