That Old Black Magic served as the breakthrough vehicle for singer Billy Daniels, forging such an indelible link that impressionists in the 1950s routinely incorporated at least a half-chorus of his delivery into their routines. Although later generations might assume this signature success confined him to a single style, Daniels in fact maintained a wide-ranging career that encompassed hosting his own television program in the early 1950s, fronting a polished road band on the nightclub circuit, and appearing in several motion pictures.
His entry into show business occurred amid the short-lived vogue for singing waiters that swept New York City in the early 1930s. While working tables he caught the ear of bandleader Erskine Hawkins, who recruited the nineteen-year-old as featured vocalist with his orchestra in 1934—an era that still demanded powerful projection from singers, quite unlike the softer approach that became fashionable once Daniels began recording under his own name.
Intensive daily practice shaped his vocal prowess, which later influenced artists such as Mark Murphy and Ernie Andrews. He maintained that he had sung on every single day of 1937 while also fulfilling regular commitments for at least a dozen radio sponsors. Late in the decade he made his screen debut in Sepia Cinderella; greater visibility arrived with the 1950 musicals When You're Smiling and Sunny Side of the Street, the former giving him the chance to showcase what became his trademark number.
Nearly ten years of performing That Old Black Magic in New York clubs, particularly along 52nd Street, sharpened the dramatic intensity he brought to the song. Broadway welcomed him first in 1945, and he returned to the stage successfully throughout his career. During the 1950s his partnership with pianist and arranger Benny Payne refined his presentation; together they ranked among the earliest Black acts granted network television exposure. Daniels shared the 1964 Broadway cast of Golden Boy with Sammy Davis, Jr., and in the 1970s appeared in productions of Hello, Dolly! and Bubbling Brown Sugar. He continued club work until his death, even releasing a disco rendition of his famous tune timed for the Saturday Night Fever audience. His daughter Yvonne Daniels later became a well-known disc jockey.
