Having spent decades in the music business supporting other bands and artists, Billy Brandt has now found his own musical voice and steps into the spotlight as a singer-songwriter for the first time in his amazing career.
Influenced by the likes of Gram Parsons to the Grateful Dead, Billy Brandt has molded his sound by creating his own unique guitar picking that creates a haunting melody which stays with the listener long after the song is over.
Billy’s road to success reads like a captivating novel that is still being written. His musical journey has taken him to every corner of the country in a very diverse variety of roles – everything from solo acoustic artist, to rock-and-roll tour merchandiser, to manager, and headlining performer at major outdoor music festivals.
Billy's love for music was created the minute he was born – almost as if he was born with guitar in hand. Early in his career, Billy sang harmonies with friends and skipped school just to write songs. During college in Arizona, he took his guitar everywhere, even writing songs on the 10,000 foot Mt. Lemon, and started the first local country music band in Tucson in 1974. After several years of performing and songwriting in Arizona, Billy moved to New York City, taking a job selling merchandise at rock concerts, which lead to a two year job touring the country with the rock band .38 Special as the bands official merchandiser. During those years on the road, Billy wrote songs in the truck with his business partner and would sing songs at the hotel after the show with the band’s backing singers.
After moving back to Michigan in the late 1980’s, Billy moved into artist development and started his own label, Drum Dancer Records, in 1993 as a management label and cultivated several bands to the point of major label interest. Drum Dancer soon grew to become a full record production label, and soon after he met a singer-songwriter named Jill Jack and signed her to his label. Billy helped launch Jill’s career by releasing her first four CD’s, managing and playing guitar in her band, and co-writing several songs with Jill. Billy continues to perform frequently with Jill both as a duo and with the full band.
In 2002, Billy started his latest music endeavor called Grievous Angel, an all-star caliber band of Detroit’s top musicians that blends the best elements of roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, and country. Grievous Angel took the area by storm and quickly became a staple on the Detroit music scene, winning two Detroit Music Awards for Outstanding Folk/Acoustic group in 2004 and 2005.
Billy Brandt is the winner of the 2006 Detroit Music Award for Acoustic/Folk Instrumentalist. He has been recognized with 11 more DMA nominations for Songwriter, Guitarist, and Vocalist in both the Acoustic/Folk and Country categories, as well as almost two dozen additional DMA nominations as a member of Grievous Angel and the Jill Jack Band.
Performance Highlights:
- DTE Energy Music Theatre – Detroit
(opening for Pat Benetar, Kim Richie, Billy Nann, Clay Walker)
- Blissfest Music Festival – Michigan
- Riverfest Music Festival – Michigan
- WCSX-fm Riverfront Concert Series
- Trinity House Theatre – Livonia, MI
- Fox 2 News TV – Detroit
- WCSX-fm – Detroit
- Live performances on Pam Rossi’s ‘Over Easy’ show
Awards & Nominations:
- 2006 Detroit Music Awards – Outstanding Acoustic/Folk Instrumentalist (Guitar)
- 11 Detroit Music Award Nominations for Songwriter, Vocalist, and Instrumentalist in both the Acoustic/Folk and Country music categories
Today I would like to let you know about two print magazines in Germany I'm writing for.
"Living Line Dance", reporting about line dance and country music, and "Folk Magazine", reporting about folk and country music. The magazines are high respected in Europe. They offer you a good chance to publicize yourself in Europe and Germany.
For more information, please contact me at MySpace or send email to Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de with the headline "Advertise at Living Line Dance and Folk Magazine".
Benefit for my Dad on September 27, 2009 Hi Everyone, My Father Peter Aguayo passed away on Tuesday 9-8-2009. He was a Steelworker for 30 years. The company he worked for went Bankrupt and they took his Life Insurance and Medical as well. I am trying to raise enough money to give him a proper burial. Please find it in your heart to come out to the Benefit, he so deserves it. There will be 5-6 AWESOME bands. The bands that are already booked for the show are: The Midnight Rendezvous, StellarDrive & Bazooka Jones. Special Guests: Charlie Allen Martin (Bob Seger) & Psychild - Robert Noll, Tyuawn Brown (A Michael Jackson Impersonator) and Bruce Race (Charlie Chaplin Impersonator). Location is: Scott Lake Banquet Center (Located inside the Waterford Elks) 2100 Scott Lake Road. Waterford, MI 48328 Admission is $20.00 Benefit will start at 2pm and will end at 10pm, or later. 50/50 Raffle Door Prizes Cash Bar & Food Auction Items The Benefit will also be filmed by Comcast for my friend Big L's The Music Room TV Show. This will be a great time and it's for a great cause. I am also trying to raise awareness to the retiree's that they should not assume that they are taken care of, this is happening to people every day. It has been devestating due to the company's Bankruptcy, my Father hasn't been buried yet. Hope to see you there. More info to follow as it becomes available. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Help us Honor our Dad, he was a son, a husband and a wonderful Human Being. God Bless Jer & Angel
all is very well, thank you! writing some new songs, even wrote a childrens song - what? now, if i could just get into a studio to record them! how's your world?
Billy ,best wishes , have a great week, have posted two songs from my new CD on my playlist,hope all is well, we'll get to that show one day.... peace and blues Paul
War is not its own end, except in some catastrophic slide into absolute damnation. It's peace that's wanted. Some better peace than the one you started with. ~ Lois McMaster Bujold
I just wanted to let you know I posted a song I write for is Deadheads called The Great Divide at http://www.myspace.com/richardleschen. Pass it around and enjoy your day of happiness and reflection,
Is it a crappy, rainy summer in Michigan this year. It sure has been in Illinois. I got rained out while busking on Rush Street last night (a full hour and a half before I would be legally obligated to stop). I made $15, enough for a pack of smokes and some iced tea. Well, tonights another night. You playing a show this evening?
Sadly 5th Avenue Billiards is closed indefinitely but I'm starting a new acoustic open mic at Royal Kubo in Clawson this Monday July 20th and every Monday evening after. Please come out and play if you're a musician or just listen to the many talented musicians that come out to perform for you! Great atmosphere there at Kubo and even better Filipino food! YUMMY! Royal Kubo is located at 27 east 14 mile rd. Clawson, MI 48017 (near the corner of Livernois Road and 14 mile, parking is in back). Starts at 8 pm - ??
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