| Name |
Billy Vera |
| Height |
|
| Naionality |
American |
| Date of Birth |
28-May-1944 |
| Place of Birth |
Riverside, California, U.S. |
| Famous for |
Singing |
Billy Vera is an American singer, actor, writer and music historian. In 1967 Vera penned a song entitled "Storybook Children" and brought it to Atlantic Records. The decision to place former gospel singer Judy Clay with Vera in a white-black duet to record the song was a commercial and artistic success and a subsequent album by Vera and Clay remains a highpoint for soul duet partnerships. He would have a solo hit later that same year with the Bobby Goldsboro penned "With Pen in Hand" which was also the name of his next album.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s Vera focused on songwriting including "I Really Got the Feeling" which was a number 1 hit for Dolly Parton. He also participated in several archival and music preservation projects, including fronting the band at the 1972 Reunion concert of Dion & the Belmonts. Before moving to Los Angeles, Billy played local Westchester clubs with Ben Beckley on Drums, Tommy Wolk on Bass, John Levanthal on Guitar, and Joe Renda on Keyboards. Tommy went on to be known as T-Bone Wolk and played Bass for the Saturday Night Live Band and Hall & Oates. John Levanthal is now married to Roseanne Cash and is a much sought after Record Producer. Billy moved to Los Angeles in 1979. During that period, Vera co-produced three Lou Rawls albums with his friend, Michael Cuscuna, for Blue Note Records, including "At Last", which reached #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart. Vera also produced Rawls's final album, Rawls Sings Sinatra, which remained on the jazz charts for over six months.
Rawls recorded seven of Billy's songs, including "If I Were A Magician" (1989) and "You Can't Go Home." In 1990, Vera's tune, "Papa Come Quick (Jody & Chico)," was included on Bonnie Raitt's album, Luck Of The Draw, the biggest of her career, selling over five million copies. Currently the Beaters are still playing the California club scene, and Vera continues his work as a music historian. He has helped produce, archive, and write liner notes for over 200 reissue albums and sets, from artists such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Louis Jordan, Ray Charles, Louis Prima, and more.
Billy has been the voice for AM/PM Mini Mart commercials for the last 12 years and is one of the top voice over artists in Los Angeles. His song, "At This Moment" is included on Michael Buble's #1 CD, Crazy Love. Vera's last CD is Hopeless Romantic: The Best Of Billy Vera & The Beaters, on Shout Factory Records, available on amazon.com and other sites. Billy's current CD, "The Billy Vera Story" on Rock Beat Records, is also available online. Billy Vera also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the corner of Vine Street and Yucca Street, right in front of the Capitol Records Building in Hollywood, California.
