Billy Crain has been a driving force on the Southern Rock and Rock scene for three decades. Practically born with a guitar in his hands, he learned how to play by ear at a very early age. By the age of fifteen, he was playing in bands on the club circuit with his older brother, Tommy Crain. Tommy eventually went on to play with the Charlie daniels Band for fifteen years In 1976, Billy began playing with Bobby Whitlock from Derek and the Dominoes. In 1977, Billy got a call from Henry Paul, from the band the Outlaws, to come join his band. Billy moved to Tampa, Florida and the Henry Paul Band inked a record deal with Atlantic Records. The band went on to record four albums of which Billy was one of the main contributers of the songwriting. The band toured extensively with the Allman Brothers Band, Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, Molly Hatchett, ZZ Top, Rossington Collins, and many others. In 1982, the band broke up and Billy went on tour with the Bellamy Brothers. In 1988, Billy had his first hit record, cowritten with David Bellamy and Wally Dentz ,called "I'll Give You All My Love Tonight". The song went top five on the Billboard Country Charts and garnered Billy his first BMI Songwriter Award. Billy moved to Nashville that year and decided to pursue a songwriting career. In 1989, he had his first pop hit by the band Poco. The song "Call It Love" went to #2 on the Billboard AC and AOR Charts, and #15 on on the Hot 100. It also went #1 in many countries around the world. Billy received his first gold record for his endeavor and received a BMI Pop Songwriter award and also eventually a Million Airplay award. Over the next 20 years, Billy had songs recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Sara Evans, Yankee Grey, and many others. He also played on many recordings including Shania Twain's "The Woman In Me". In 2008 he reunited wit old friends Henry Paul and Monte Yoho and joined up with the Outlaws and continues to write and tour to this day. Billy has also released his first solo record "Skeletons In The Closet" on Slidebilly Records. He cowrote, produced, engineered, and played all the instruments on the record. Be sure to check it out
THE OUTLAWS
Left to right: Randy Threet, Jon Coleman, Chris Anderson,
Henry Paul, Billy Crain, Monte Yoho
The Henry Paul Band- "Grey Ghost (Part 2)"
The Henry Paul Band
The Flat Creek Band
