In December 2007, Billy released his debut album, The Joker's Hand, with producer David Perlick-Molinari (MGMT, Savoir Adore, French Horn Rebellion). Soon thereafter, he began to support acts such as Dave Matthews collaborator Tim Reynolds, Susan Tedeschi, Pete Francis (of Dispatch), to name a few. Met by warm and receptive audiences at every show, Billy's fan base began to grow, and he was soon selling out those same venues he first played only a year or two before (New York institutions such as the Bitter End, Arlene's Grocery, the Knitting Factory, and the Canal Room).
Capitalizing on his undeniable momentum, Billy returned to the studio with producers Tim Hatfield and Sammy Merendino to record the EP, Sessions on a Hill, in the summer of 2008. With Merendino (of Billy Joel, Hall & Oates, Joan Osbourne) on the drums, Graham Maby (of Joe Jackson) on the bass, and Jeff Golub (of Rod Stewart) on electric guitar, the group recorded what would be Billy's most successful release to date.
January of 2009 was a milestone, as Billy played a show in Connecticut at the Academy Recording Studio. Recorded and released as Billy Simons Live at The Academy (release: April 2009), this solo acoustic album, is his truest-to-form release, covering songs from The Joker's Hand, Sessions On A Hill, and his upcoming studio album.
Continuing to play all over the northeast, Billy has recently returned to the studio to record his follow-up to 2007's The Joker's Hand. With producer David Stillman, Graham Maby on bass, and Richie Canatta (of Billy Joel) on sax, Billy will be releasing a 10-track album, entitled Music From The Motion Picture, in the fall of 2009 with the mixing and mastering wizardry of Steve Addabbo of Shelter Island Sound (Suzanne Vega, Paula Cole, Rufus Wainwright, Dar Williams) and Chris Athens of Sterling Sound (Coldplay, Ben Folds, Johnny Cash, The Beastie Boys, Flight of the Conchords, Willie Nelson, G. Love & Special Sauce).
Typically performing as a solo act, Billy's shows are captivating, acoustic performances featuring beatboxing, guitar tapping, and lyrics to which audiences can relate. His stylized ability to tell stories through his music usually takes artists a lifetime to channel, and his quirky lyrics are sure to leave you smiling, crying, or both. At a Billy Simons show, you're just as likely to see business men dancing on chairs as you are to see girls singing every word to every song with stars in their eyes.
