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Published on July 9th, 2020 | by Al Geiner

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Q the A with Billy Ray RocK

 

Singer-Bassist Billy Ray RocK: the 1st African American rock artist since Lenny Kravitz, maybe even Jimi Hendrix.

Described by some as a dance-rock artist. Some call him a modern-day “Prince”. Billy Ray plays more than 10 instruments and produces and performs every instrument you hear in his music.

He delivers tracks in the genres on rock and R&B dance, simply put he is the “King of Ghetto Rock” his single “Get The Funk” is an instant R & B Funk classic: this
funk-driven pop song has Billy Ray’s soulful vocals to make this track so catchy. It recently hit #1 on the South African iTunes charts! This a single from his yet to be released album titled “Bad News.”

Drawing from Billy Ray’s history in music study and influences from classic rock and R&B acts like America, The Eagles, Billy Idol, Cameo, Earth Wind & Fire, Rick James, and of course Prince, just to name a few.  The ranges in his upcoming music vary in genres to say to least. His signature vocals and unique ground-breaking arrangements tie it all together.

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What first got you into music?

My Brother Freddy who Is a longtime Jazz R& B Sax player listening to him practice for hours and watching him perform made me feel like I could do it.

Who inspired you to make music?.

Again my brother both inspired me to get into music and but to acting make music inspiration came from Prince it was the idea that you could infuse a range of influences to a particular track. And have that affect people in so many ways was insane to me

How would you describe the music that you typically create?  

“Ghetto Rock” is a common broke country boy’s perspective that sways from rock to dance to funk.

What is your creative process like?

I generally figure out something that I wanna express something I wanna say,as a central topic I then create a beat that I think amplifies that thought. I then let the song write itself sometimes it stays on point other times it goes in a different direction. 

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

Bruno Mars

If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?

Bruno Mars, Earth Wind & Fire, U2

What is one message you would give to your fans?  

I am a true artist I make music that I think sounds good,I don’t care about genres I care about creating music that will help you create memories. Please join me on my journey.

Do you sing in the shower? What songs? 

Yes sometimes, lol The gap Band “Gash Gash Gash”, EW&F “Loves Holiday”, Bobby Caldwell “Do For Love” an others 

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career

Stand up Comedy. I am a long time Headlining Professional Stand up comedian. I love making people laugh.

Where have you performed?

Mostly almost everywhere

What are your favourite and least favourite venues?

Favorite, Florentine Gardens (Los Angeles, Ca) Max occupancy 4,000

Least favorite, Elko Nv  Max occupancy 150 

Do you have any upcoming shows?

Nope the coronavirus  stop all that

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?

Good and bad, but the bad part is it has people believing there are too many short cuts to being a legit recording artist. The good part is artist have many more ways to make money at this.

What is your favourite song to perform?

“Sunglasses at Night”

What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?

I was mistaken for my cameraman who was hanging out with some teenage girls in a different hotel room. The cops were banging on my door like it was a raid. I open the door they all ran past me like they were looking for somebody then said they had reports I was partying with some teenage girls. I said ‘I don’t hang out with kids in that way”. You got the wrong person” right about then what looks like a parent yell out that’s not him the guy we are looking is in this room the cops all ran over there. There was a bunch of yelling and screaming. I close my hotel room door. In the end, the cameraman was not arrested as he was just hanging and had not touched anyone. But it was a bad bad night. I mean, unfortunately, as an artist, I can’t control who lets who in their hotel room. But it was definitely a close call for mistaken identity.



  What is the best advice you’ve been given? This business of music is about relationships.  Back in the day I sent a song to a program director who said he would listen to it. I got impatient as this was a small-town radio stations called back and forth long story short we got into a heated argument. Flash forward that PD later transferred to a major market and remembered me. I thought if I had a better relationship with this guy it would have benefited my career. As it turned out he forgave me because I was just a kid with the argument happened. But lesson learned. 





  If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be? This strangle hold big corporations have on owning so many radio stations. Seems the rich get heard  more and the unheard gets more silenced!



What’s next for you? To introduce  the world to the 1st multi genre artist since Prince. Show people what “Ghetto Rock” is.


 

 

How important is the current Covid crisis to you and how do you think 
you could help? 

It is very imporatnt to me a ton of lives are lost and yeah  I actual did a song called “Gotta Be Strong (the Corona virus song)” its now available everywhere spotify etc. Audio  https://soundcloud.com/billyrayrock1/gotta-be-strongcoronavirus-song. And a video snippet   https://youtu.be/Y3LYC9DO93g



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