Billy Eli
Encyclopedia
Billy Eli is an Austin based Americana
singer and songwriter from Livingston, Texas
.
Eli began touring with various country and rock bands in 1984. He began fronting his own band and performing original music around 1990,and has toured throughout the country. His first album,"Something's Going On," was released in 1994. The album was one of a number of Austin produced albums that helped establish Austin's national music reputation in that era. His album was among the first wave of music that eventually became known as Americana, but at the time of its release there was no single genre label that fit. Music journalists variously referred to Eli's music as "stand-and-deliver rock 'n' roll," "roots-rock" and "countrified pop songs."
Eli is involved in fundraising efforts for autism groups, and has a son with autism.
Among the many musicians Eli has had in his band over the last twenty years was bassist Joseph Stack (ca. 2005–2007). Stack is now more widely known for flying his private plane into an Austin IRS office in 2010, killing himself and two other people, as well as injuring 13 others.
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
singer and songwriter from Livingston, Texas
Livingston, Texas
Livingston is a town in Polk County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,433 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Polk County. Livingston was settled in 1835 as Springfield. Its name was changed to Livingston and became the county seat of Polk County in 1846.The Alabama-Coushatta...
.
Career
Eli worked on oil and gas pipelines before starting to write and play music in his early twenties. His musical influences include the Stones, Steve Earle, Tom Petty, Guy Clark, the Eagles and the Byrds.Eli began touring with various country and rock bands in 1984. He began fronting his own band and performing original music around 1990,and has toured throughout the country. His first album,"Something's Going On," was released in 1994. The album was one of a number of Austin produced albums that helped establish Austin's national music reputation in that era. His album was among the first wave of music that eventually became known as Americana, but at the time of its release there was no single genre label that fit. Music journalists variously referred to Eli's music as "stand-and-deliver rock 'n' roll," "roots-rock" and "countrified pop songs."
Eli is involved in fundraising efforts for autism groups, and has a son with autism.
Among the many musicians Eli has had in his band over the last twenty years was bassist Joseph Stack (ca. 2005–2007). Stack is now more widely known for flying his private plane into an Austin IRS office in 2010, killing himself and two other people, as well as injuring 13 others.
Discography
- 1994 Something's Going On (Music Lane/Club De Musique)
- 2001 Trailer Parker Angel (Dusty Records)
- 2006 Amped Out (Errant Records)