Biography

Label Contact:
Chris Myers
chris@rbrentertainment.com

Media Contact:
media@rbrentertainment.com

Management:
Donna Roberts
thehollarentertainment@gmail.com

Click here to go to RBR Entertainment's Main Page


Songwriters / PRO:
Billy Droze / ASCAP
Chris Myers / BMI

Publishers / PRO:
Different Kind Of Crown Publishing / ASCAP
Chris Myers Publishing / BMI

ISRC: QZEU62310031


This album is intentional and made with a goal in mind to encompass most every angle of my artistry. I believe music should have open pastures to run and be free! I happened to know the big dogs at RBR Entertainment and they allowed me to do that!

A special thanks to Billy Dean, John Anderson, Shawn Camp and Ronnie Bowman for being part of this project.

Producer: Billy Droze
Recorded: Redbird Studio, Santa Fe, Tennessee
Mix Engineers:. Josh Swift, Steven Burwell, Jason Roller
Mastering: Josh Swift, Steven Burwell, Jason Roller

Musicians on Billy The Kid:
Billy Droze: Lead Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Background Vocal
Greg Martin: Bass
James Seliga: Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar
Seth Taylor: Acoustic Guitar
Tim Crouch: Fiddle, Mandolin, Bass, Strings
Jason Roller: Guitar, Fiddle, Background Vocals
Marija Droze: Background Vocals
Mike Sumner: Banjo
Scott Vestal: Banjo
Josh Matheny: - Dobro
Josh Swift: Dobro, Background Vocals
Stephen Burwell: Fiddle

Photography: Barbara Potter, Anthony Scarlati
Artwork/Design: Aaron Krott

SONG BY SONG IN THE ORDER ON THE CD

1. Cry My Life Away (3:19)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
James Seliga, NS
Greg Martin, NS

ISRC: QZEU62310025

2. It’s Ok To Be Ok (2:49)

Songwriters / PRO:
Billy Droze / ASCAP
Chris Myers / BMI

ISRC: QZEU62310002

“The inspiration for ‘It’s OK to be OK’ came from a personal understanding of being able to relax and feel good in your own skin when walking through valleys on your way back up the mountain.” - Billy Droze

3. Starting To Rain (3:54)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
John Scott Sherrill, BMI
Chris Myers, BMI

ISRC:. QZEU62310029

4. Yesterday (2:54)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
Chris Myers, BMI

ISRC: QZEU62310031

5. Run (3:50)

Songwriters:
Tony Lane, ASCAP
Ralph Smith, BMI

ISRC: QZEU62310032

6. That Sweet Gal of Mine (2:29)

Songwriters / PRO:
Billy Droze / ASCAP
Paul Staggs / BMI

ISRC: QZEU62210024

That Sweet Gal of Mine is a nice breath of fresh air for me. Paul Staggs and I couldn’t really think of much to write about the night we were sitting on the porch. So when in doubt, I write about what I know and think. I thought "Well, Marija would be a good subject", and that’s what we did. It turned out to be a cool up tempo, song about our personal love story. - Billy Droze

7. Leave Without Saying Goodbye (3:46)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
Red Emler, NS

ISRC:. QZEU62310027

8. Old Friends (3:22)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
Sonya Ann Terry, NS
Sondra Clayton Ross, NS

ISRC: QZEU62310028

9. Clouds Keep On Crying (3:34)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
David Norris, ASCAP
Ostrovsky

ISRC: QZEU62310024

10. Chicken Truck (3:19)

Songwriters / PRO:
John Anderson / BMI
Monroe Fields / BMI
Jim Parker / BMI

ISRC: QZEU62100107

“Chicken Truck“ is a fun, easy fictional take on Southern living which will strike a chord with anyone who lives there. First recorded in the early 80’s by Country music star John Anderson and rising to #8. Now it’s back & Bluegrass Baby! Featuring the legend himself, Anderson teams up with Droze along with Ronnie Bowman & Shawn Camp to bring you a new swing on things!

"Singing with John was a blast and he was truly a humbled human with a big voice and heart to go with it. Adding Ronnie Bowman and Shawn Camp, well that’s just the icing on the cake." - Billy Droze

11. The Day I Died (3:18)

Songwriters:
Billy Droze, ASCAP
Chris Myers, BMI

ISRC: QZEU62310030

12. Billy The Kid (3:09)

Songwriters:
Billy Dean, BMI
Paul Nelson, BMI

ISRC:. QZEU62310033

13. Tu Solo Tu (You Only You) (3:20)

Songwriters:
Felipe Valdéz Leal

ISRC: QZEU62310036

14. The Gospel According to Me (3:19)

Songwriters / PRO:
Billy Droze / ASCAP
Chris Myers / BMI

ISRC: QZEU62310026


Born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1986, the 10th of 12 children, Billy Ryan Droze grew up in Alabama knowing that music was his life as far back as he can remember. “It’s as if I was inserted with a computer chip that made my life revolve around music.” But the reason is just as likely the influence of his father, Bob Droze, a dedicated country, gospel, and bluegrass musician, even now that he is in his 80s. Billy was on stage with his dad by the time he was 4 years old, and spent his childhood singing with him everywhere from churches to bluegrass festivals to honky-tonks, developing a passion for traditional country, gospel, and roots music that has influenced him ever since.

He learned to play guitar when he was 12, and as a teenager would perform anywhere, anytime, for anyone who would listen, sometimes walking miles down country roads, carrying his guitar, just for the chance to play a few songs.

By the time he was 16, Billy’s dad had moved to Texas and he followed him there, spending a year or so playing with his band. Then after rambling around Texas for a while, Billy decided it was time to move to Nashville, where he has lived ever since. Continuing to play anywhere he could, and constantly honing his skills as a song smith and musician, Billy steadily expanded his ever-growing fan base. Singing lead for Grammy-winning Shenandoah (using the name Billy Ryan) for several tours, dramatically increased awareness of his musical talents in the Country, Americana, Bluegrass and Roots music industry.

Though signed by RCA/Sony BMG as an artist shortly after arriving in Nashville, that never developed into what he’d hoped for, Billy then focused on his songwriting while pursuing a solo career. He has also been a staff writer, with publishing deals that resulted in several significant cuts that include “You Never Know” – Darryl Worley, “Free Again” – Shenandoah, “That’s Why I Run” – Billy Yates (#1 in Europe), “Sunday Clothes” – Randy Kohrs,”Big Pain” -Marty Raybon, “Bottle Was a Bible” – Junior Sisk, “Her Memory Again” (#5 Bluegrass Today Chart) – Flatt Lonesome, “Like I Do” – Jamie O’neil, “I Know Better” (#1 Bluegrass Today Chart) – The Grascals, among others.

In response to a family tragedy and the need for a change of scenery, Billy decided to expand his horizons by booking a thirteen-city, nine-country tour of Eastern Europe to promote his third independent album, “Ready For The Ride.” Extremely well-received by fans and reviewers alike and earning him three #1 singles on the European Hot Disc charts, this tour also led him to Lithuania where he found his soul mate. And when he returned to the U.S. it was with his new wife, Marija (whose lovely voice blends perfectly with his). In addition, he has appeared in Country Weekly numerous times, as well as other magazines and Web sites in the U.S. and Europe and has had 4 major-network country music videos.