Billy Dean received a basketball scholarship to attend East Central Junior College in Decatur, MS, where he majored in physical education, but instead of wearing a whistle around his neck, he opted for a guitar strap. Inspired by Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, and Dean Martin, he played the club circuit along the Gulf Coast in Florida and used national talent contests as a vehicle for his music. He made the finals of the Wrangler Country Star Search in 1982, then won as a Male Vocalist champ on Ed McMahon's Star Search program in 1988. Even before the release of his debut album, ‘Young Man,’ he'd already gone on tour as an opening act for Mel Tillis, Gary Morris, and Ronnie Milsap. In the midst of recording, Billy Dean also dabbled in television. He contributed to commercials for Valvoline, McDonald's, and Chevrolet, and had an acting role in the brief Elvis series on ABC-TV in 1990. He landed bit parts on soap operas and dramas, and even hosted the 1994 season of ABC in Concert Country.
Billy Dean toured with The Judds on their farewell tour in 1991, he also toured with Wynonna Judd and Clint Black. He wrote and recorded the theme song to the ABC animated television series Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, and hosted a Top 21 countdown on VH1. In 1992, he earned the Top New Male Vocalist award from the Academy of Country Music.
Fire in the Dark was the title of Dean's third album. Issued in 1993, it was his third straight gold-certified album, earning that certification from both the RIAA and CRIA.His lead-off single ‘Tryin' to Hide a Fire in the Dark’ peaked at No. 6 in the United States and became his second No. 1 in Canada. Following it were ‘I Wanna Take Care of You,’ ‘I'm Not Built That Way,’ and a cover of Dave Mason's 1977 pop hit ‘We Just Disagree.’ Also, in 1993, Billy had an opening slot on Alan Jackson's tour.
Following his first three studio albums was a greatest hits album in 1994. This album reprised his first nine singles, as well as a new song, "Once in a While", which Dean wrote and recorded for the soundtrack to the 1994 film 8 Seconds. This song peaked at No. 53 based on unsolicited airplay.
‘Men'll Be Boys,’ his final release for SBK/Liberty, came later in 1994. A greatest-hits collection so early in an artist's career might seem strange, but considering that Billy had already charted seven singles, the release was easy money for Capitol. His studio albums have accounted for more than 20 hit singles on the Billboard country charts, including 11 Top Ten hits. In 2000, he had a Billboard Number one as a guest artist along with Allison Kraus on Kenny Rogers'‘Buy Me a Rose,’ and had two Number Ones on the RPM country charts in Canada. Billy recently recorded an album of Hall of Fame Songwriter Richard Leigh songs titled, 'The Greatest Man I Ever Knew.'
In addition to recording and touring, Billy Dean is branching into using music for corporate marketing. One of his ventures, Song Sessions, combines songwriting and corporate team building exercises.
Alan Mercer: Billy, people get excited when they hear your name. I talked to many people about meeting you and they all had the same big eyed big smile reaction. Everyone wants to know what you are up to these days?
Billy Dean: I run a small music company now so it’s harder to travel, but I had an opportunity to go to Branson, Missouri. Mickey Gilley told me I tested positive for Branson (Laughter) and I did, I fell in love with it. So, for four years I did a sit down show there in Branson. I got to play with a really great band. I played all my hits.
AM: Wow, what made you decide to get back on the road after a few years off?
BD: A lot of my friends like Restless Heart, told me that 90’s Country is making a come-back and sure enough I decided to tour this year. I have some new music I’ve been working on, so I felt it was time to get back in front of the public eye and go to some markets that I hadn’t been to in a long time like California and the Northeast. The people that live in those places don’t go to Branson. That’s more of a Midwest thing. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m out on the road and working on new music and trying to stay relevant.
AM: Billy I know you are working with a young musical artist, what can you tell me about that?
BD: Her name is Chloe Channell and she is from ‘America’s Got Talent. She just turned 16 and I’ve been working with her since she was 11. We just put out a 5 song EP, all songs she wrote. She has a Country Pop sound. I’d love everyone to check her out and see what you think. She’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.
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AM: I will definitely listen to her music. Are you working on recording a new album?
BD: I’ve been working on an acoustic album. It’s the new songs that I’ve written, and it will just be me and the guitar. A few instruments, but very sparse production. I love the acoustic guitar so there is a lot of focus on that. I’ve always wanted to do an album like that. A lot of people didn’t even know that I play guitar. A lot of Country Stars just stand up there and hold it (Laughter) but the guitar is a really big part of what I do.
AM: I love hearing this. I love a sparse production.
BD: Me too because then you can really hear the lyrics.
AM: I love the album of Richard Leigh songs you recorded. Talk about a perfect match.
BD: I’m glad you know of it because I love that album. He’s in the hall of fame now. I’ve learned so much from Richard Leigh. He’s a great storyteller and songwriter. He has a large body of work and he’s part of my music company. He is one of the first songwriters we signed so I wanted to do an album of his songs. I wanted to do songs people hadn’t heard. I really thought people need to know who Richard Leigh is.
AM: Yes, they do. When did you start getting compared to James Taylor?
BD: A lot of my friends in Nashville kind of deemed me that James Taylor of Country music because of my guitar work. I was doing a lot of the solo acoustic shows before I had a band. My friends in Nashville felt that my style of writing around a guitar riff like James did was a big part of what I do. The acoustic guitar is so upfront and featured in my songs. I just love that finger picking style and I was a big fan of James Taylor so I am proud of that comparison.
AM: Is that why you recorded Steamroller?
BD: Yes!
AM: You sing it brilliantly! I wanted to make sure and tell you that. I love the bluesy quality in your voice. I’d like to hear an entire album like that.
BD: My roots are in folk rock like James Taylor and the Eagles. Now it’s called Americana.
AM: Yes, Americana is the style now.
BD: I grew up in the panhandle of Florida so Southern rock and the bluesy music was a big part of my life. but when I got to Nashville it wasn’t popular. It wasn’t until Travis Tritt came along and he started doing Southern rock. I knew they wouldn’t let me do anything like that style in Nashville. It took me a little while, but I did work to define my own personal style. I was working on finding my own lane to be different. I was never able to record an album like that because they would never play guitar and vocals on the radio.
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AM: Now you no longer have that limitation. You can do whatever you want for the rest of your career.
BD: That’s exactly right! That is my motto.
AM: I think you will be more successful by being your authentic self.
BD: I think so too. I wake up every day and try to get better at what I do. That’s what means the most to me now. I’ve always been a little insecure about sitting down with a guitar and playing on a recording. I’m such a perfectionist. I could never get past any little subtle mistake. I really felt I wasn’t good enough to go top to bottom without making a mistake, so I started working on that.
AM: Are you still a perfectionist?
BD: Yes, but I’m not going to let it stop me from making this album.
AM: If you have to fix something you can.
BD: I was listening to my older material the other day and I thought, it’s too perfect! It’s really too clean and too perfect. That’s my fault because I’m a perfectionist. Naomi Judd told me one time, “Honey, you need to let people see the cracks in your armor because that’s how your light gets out.” That’s probably what this album will be.
AM: Seems to me that you are reinvigorated after a little time out of the public eye.
BD: I am. To me it’s more about storytelling. I like to get absorbed in what I’m playing by myself. I do a little solo acoustic set in my show. I just like to get absorbed in the character of the song and be that way in the moment, almost like an actor.
AM: Good singers are musical actors.
BD: Yes, I think so. I like not playing with a band because I don’t want to play it rehearsed. If I want to change something or slow it down, then I can. That’s what I enjoy anyway.
To learn more about Billy Dean visit his website http://www.billydean.com/