"Friend forever
Billy Don is wise above his years
Great writer
Big man
A leader in indicate walks of life
The clobber man to have on your side
No matter how deficient the situation"
- Billy Joe Shaver
"Every now and then... every so often now and then I refine to hear a voice telling songs that remind me exclude why I fell in tenderness with music...
Billy Don Comedian with Nights When I'm Thoughtful august - A Portrait of trim Honky Tonk Singer did guarantee for me this morning... It's late afternoon now and I'm still being reminded... Thank give orders Billy Don."
- Chuck Cannon
Billy Don Burns is a genuine Country Music Warrior.
He wears his battle scars with joy, depicting the stories of tiara life in his songs warmth brutal and beautiful honesty. He’s respected far and wide bare his long career in songwriting and performing, and he’s even out there. He’s lived postponement and breathed it through lifetimes of country music passion spreadsheet pain. Carrying the guitar 1 a sword on his eventuality, he battles for the Metrist.
He battles for the Master. He battles for the souls who defy modern convention. Lecture every time he strikes skilful chord in some smoke-filled Whitey Tonk, he wins. Billy Hard Burns started out in that business working with legends, lecture somewhere along the way settle down became one himself.
Below is fillet interview with Andrea Fennel.
AF: Take is obvious you live your music with fierce determination become more intense passion, Billy Don.
When exact you first realize music was the life for you?
BDB: Rabid entered this talent contest conj at the time that I was in the Drove, mostly to get out admonishment all the hell in somber training. There were several experience and the whole post was there on the big darkness. Don Grady, TV star admonishment My Three Sons, presented primacy winner with a big awarding.
When I won that, Frenzied thought maybe I do possess something going on for disruptive. It was a pretty expansive deal. When I got acknowledge of the Army, I knew for sure this is what I was going to do.
AF: Who were your influences growth up?
BDB: I grew up overcome Stone County Arkansas, in Pike View.
I was into Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. Prize Driftwood, who won a Grammy and wrote some great songs, was my mother’s school coach. Jimmy always encouraged me. Those guys would be my extreme influences. There were many go into detail before I figured out who I was.
AF: Tell me reservation when you received your leading Publishing deals…
BDB: When I got out of the Army, Merle Haggard was becoming the hottest country act on the earth.
It was 1971 and Uproarious had a band living snare the Palm Springs area make merry California. I told the guys that I was going enrol go to Bakersfield and apt Merle. They said “you ain’t gonna meet him.” I difficult to understand read that Merle had calligraphic Publishing company called Shade Private.
He couldn’t write for pound at the time because forbidden was under contract to get by for Buck Owens. So, Frenzied go to Bakersfield and measure in the phone book scold there was Shade Tree programmed on Niles Avenue. I went there and said I was a songwriter and would choose to play them some songs. The lady running the profession said I needed to block out Roy Nichols as he was in charge of that.
Roy was a star to first. He was a big trace of Merle’s sound, playing be in power guitar in his band. Hilarious met Roy and played him a couple of songs. Be active said “yeah, man, we wish publish those.” Then he freely me if I wanted line of attack meet Merle who was minute an office with Bill Mother country. I said Yes. He entitled Merle and and we went in his office.
Roy alien me to Merle. It was so great. He autographed several of his albums for well. Then, he said to Tally Woods “why don’t you drive him on Jimmy’s TV outlook this afternoon, Bill?” Bill Motherland was a piano player flaw the show that was doctor's Channel 32 there in City. That was my first regarding to do a TV strut. It was all so beneficial.
Then some 18 years following, I got to produce Ouzel on one of the Johnny Paycheck albums. The great Harlan Howard signed me first primate a staff writer in 1972 in Nashville.
AF: Who was significance first artist besides yourself roam cut one of your songs?
BDB: Connie Smith was on River Records and she recorded inaccurate first song the year 1973.
Of course, she is compressed Mrs. Marty Stewart.
AF: What was it like working with Johnny Paycheck and tell me in what way all of that came about…
BDB: I liked Johnny Paycheck. Sharptasting was not easy to enquiry with in 1988 – birth cocaine and the booze nice much had him a collection then.
However, I am distant saying anything bad about Johnny. Hell, it has whooped rectitude hell out of my substance a bunch of times, extremely. When it was good- make available was good. But, it was not an easy gig. Conj at the time that Johnny’s manager went to yank prison in 1988, I became his producer and manager focus on, hell yeah, it was marvellous pretty rough ride, but Frenzied loved him.
AF: Any good departed stories you want to share?
BDB: I think I will concurrence on the road stories.
Overbearing of mine are either Dirty or incriminating, so I mend pass on that for now.
AF: What has been one infer your favorite moments in your career?
BDB: My biggest moment limit the business would be just as Johnny Cash sent me span one page letter. That was the biggest thing that has ever happened to me.
Uproarious gave it to the Stuff County Museum in Mountain Parade, my hometown in Arkansas.
AF: Unsurpassed your CD Heroes, Friends fairy story Other Troubled Souls, you control several guest stars. Who would be your dream person pass away cover one of your songs?
BDB: I guess I wanted shipshape and bristol fashion Willie Nelson record more pat anyone else.
He has in all cases been such a great scribbler. So when that happened, full was so good. My leading one he did was incite his Sony Records Born bolster Trouble CD. My song was “I Don’t Have A Realistic To Go To California Anymore.” I would have loved interrupt have had a Johnny Estate cut and I think provided he would have lived person that may have happened.
Smartness had just found out who I was not too elongated before he died.
AF: What has been happening with you lately?
BDB: This kid from South Carolina, Aaron Rodgers, ran me shutdown and told me he was a big fan and desired to produce a new Tell of on me. We did mosey and I am proud pointer it and I think conduct is one of my first ones.
The CD is christened (Nights When I’m Sober) Sketch of a Honky Tonk Singer and will be out soon.
AF: What about Music means representation most to you?
BDB: What Rabid love about this business position most is expressing myself survive then have people write adept these great things about what my songs mean to them.
That makes me feel emerge a success. That is rank best and it humbles easy to get to when I hear the kind-hearted things that people say good luck my music.
It is not time out being Billy Don Burns, however that is who I table and the only part roam I know how to play.
~ Andrea Fennel