In December 2007, Billy released his debut album, The Joker’s Hand, with producer David Perlick-Molinari (MGMT, Savoir Adore, French Horn Rebellion). Soon thereafter, he began to support acts such as Dave Matthews collaborator Tim Reynolds, Susan Tedeschi, Pete Francis (of Dispatch), to name a few. Met by warm and receptive audiences at every show, Billy’s fan base began to grow, and he was soon selling out those same venues he first played only a year or two before (New York institutions such as the Bitter End, Arlene’s Grocery, the Knitting Factory, and the Canal Room).
Capitalizing on his undeniable momentum, Billy returned to the studio with producers Tim Hatfield and Sammy Merendino to record the EP, Sessions on a Hill, in the summer of 2008. With Merendino (of Billy Joel, Hall & Oates, Joan Osbourne) on the drums, Graham Maby (of Joe Jackson) on the bass, and Jeff Golub (of Rod Stewart) on electric guitar, the group recorded what would be Billy’s most successful release to date.
January of 2009 was a milestone, as Billy played a show in Connecticut at the Academy Recording Studio. Recorded and released as Billy Simons Live at The Academy (release: April 2009), this solo acoustic album, is his truest-to-form release, covering songs from The Joker’s Hand, Sessions On A Hill, and his upcoming studio album.
Continuing to play all over the northeast, Billy has recently returned to the studio to record his follow-up to 2007’s The Joker’s Hand. With producer David Stillman, Graham Maby on bass, and Richie Canatta (of Billy Joel) on sax, Billy will be releasing a 10-track album, entitled Music From The Motion Picture, in the fall of 2009 with the mixing and mastering wizardry of Steve Addabbo of Shelter Island Sound (Suzanne Vega, Paula Cole, Rufus Wainwright, Dar Williams) and Chris Athens of Sterling Sound (Coldplay, Ben Folds, Johnny Cash, The Beastie Boys, Cobra Starship, Flight of the Conchords, Willie Nelson, G. Love & Special Sauce).
Typically performing as a solo act, Billy’s shows are captivating, acoustic performances featuring beatboxing, guitar tapping, and lyrics to which audiences can relate. His stylized ability to tell stories through his music usually takes artists a lifetime to channel, and his quirky lyrics are sure to leave you smiling, crying, or both. At a Billy Simons show, you're just as likely to see business men dancing on chairs as you are to see girls singing every word to every song with stars in their eyes. Here's what people have been saying...
“He’s the next big thing that few people know about"
- Allison Stockel, Director of the Ridgefield Playhouse
“This is the most fun I’ve had in the studio in years!”
- Sammy Merendino, on recording Rainy Day
"Billy Simons is an artist on the way up, his draw and crowd have been excellent each time I have worked with him and he has proven to be a caring professional whose shows have always done well. I wouldn't hesitate to work with him again and I look forward to our next gig!"
- Peter Abraham, The Cutting Room
"Billy Simons...Part beat boxer, part comedian, this acoustic songwriter is best described as a blend of Jason Mraz, Howie Day, and Jack Johnson. "
- Sarah Menichelli, The Echo
Brian Webb, Ben Folds, Jack Johnson, Damien Rice, David Gray, Paul Simon, Jason Mraz, and of course some more that aren't coming to me at the moment.
Sounds Like
Something folky, pop-y, acoustic/electric... there's certainly an 80's influence buried in there. If you put Brian Webb, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson and Billy Joel in a blender and added a pinch of Cat Stevens...
Sooooo....I happened to be dusting my myspace off (lol) and was scrolling down my profile and saw you put a "new" pic up. Of course "new" being a relative term...I haven't been on myspace in such a while that I would know how long you've had that pic up. However it 'caught my eye' and I decided to swing in and leave a 'note on a napkin'. *smiles*
In every change that you experience in life, there will be times when you'll wonder if you can endure. But you'll learn that facing each difficulty one by one isn't so hard. It's when you don't deal with a situation that it sometimes comes back to confront you again. Changes are sometimes very painful, but they teach us that we can endure and that we can become stronger. Everything that comes into your life has a purpose, but the outcome is in your hands by the action you take. Be wise with your life, be willing to endure, and always be willing to face life's challenges.
Hey, thanks for the add. I'm always looking for new music and I really like your style. It's cool how you don't just stick to one genre, but do what you feel. I hope too see you around the Baltimore/DC area sometime soon!
will do dude, keep it up, let us know when you get new tunes would be keen to hear them :) if you get the chance, give our tunes a listen to let us know what you think hope all things are well
Hii, thanks for the request, I had a listen and yeah I really like! especially body and part 2, realllll good, keep up the good work and stay in touch :) x
Ooh Billy...I am so glad that you found me on here!! You can count on me heading over to iTunes to support you! Fantastic work and I look forward to your album's release :) Take care!
Hi Billy, Thank you for joining. I'm Sara and I'm Spanish, I don't speak very much English, but I like your music, you have a nice voice. Thank you for joining. kisses!