The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Badfinger, Marshall Crenshaw, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, The Raspberries, Gary Lewis, The Stray Cats, Brian Setzer, Paul McCartney, Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, The Eagles, Carl Perkins, The British Invasion of the 60's, Dave Clark, Five, Billy J Kramer, Gerry & the Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Rolling Stones, The Who
Sounds Like
A bit like Marshall Crenshaw, a bit of McCartney, a bit of Eric Carmen, Pete Ham
Billy became a professional musician at the young age of 13 years old. He's been a veteran of the Cleveland and Buffalo night club scene since 1975. Over the years, you might remember seeing Billy playing in bands like "Duce", "The Paul Pope Band", "Club Wow", "Moonlight Drive", "Beau Coup", and the duo "Spina & Sullivan". In 1986 Billy not only had his own band, but started a long and sucessful working relationship with Gary Lewis & the Playboys. He's toured all over the world and shared the concert stage with the likes of Gary Lewis, Mark Lindsay, Mitch Ryder, Dickey Betts, Peter Frampton, Mark Farner, Ian Hunter, Eric Carmen, Sam Moore, Lou Christie, Lesley Gore, Billy J Kramer,Peter Noone, Joey Molland, Tommy Roe, Bryan Hyland, Jimmy Zero and the list goes on. He's appeared on national television shows such as TNN's "Nashville Now" to 11 appearances on the 'Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Through out all those years, Billy has been on countless recordings and jingles {IX Indoor Amusement Park} being the most recorded guitarist in Cleveland's history! Billy being the “multi-instrumentalist" not only plays guitar and sings but also is an accomplished drummer and percussionist, bassist and plays alittle keyboards as well! His own releases included the 1986 single release "Never Again {Without You}" reaching ..13 on the local charts and has recieved national airplay. His most recent CD release "All-American Popster" has sold copies as far away as Japan to Spain and France as well as the US. Billy had the distinct honor to be hand picked personally by Eric Carmen to participate in "An Evening with Eric Carmen" his first solo show in many years at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in March 2000 and the “Raspberries” Reunion Show in November 2004! After completing the 2005 Raspberries Reunion tour and also finishing an Asian tour with Gary Lewis & the Playboys as their drummer, Billy still record's and produces local artists and jingles and continues to play dates with his single act at his home in Cleveland as well as performing and touring with Gary Lewis, Raspberries and all the other artists that he's shared the stage with.
Great to run across your space! Anything new since the last CD? I do a podcast of indie-music at Unsigned Underground (unsignedunderground. net) send me something.
Hey do you know Gilby Clarke? He and his wife happen to be friends of ours - great guy!
Hey! I am venturing to the windy city with some Chitown frnz April 1st to see Ray Davies-5th row.....sweet!!!! I will see you soon sometime this year-not sure which town yet! Love Ya!
