Billy Joe Royal

Billy Joe Royal, 1966

Billy Joe Royal (born April 3, 1942 in Valdosta , Georgia - † October 6, 2015 in Morehead City , North Carolina ) was an American singer .

history

Even as a child, after seeing Elvis Presley on the Tommy Dorsey Show , who also mixed styles like pop , country and R&B , he felt that he wanted to make a living from music. He made his debut at the age of eleven on his uncle's radio show. In high school he was then at the age of 16 his own Rock 'n' Roll- - band .

He became known with the top ten hit Down in the Boondocks (1965), which, like the singles I Knew You When (Top 20, 1965) and Hush (1967), was written and produced by Joe South . His single Cherry Hill Park peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969 . In the late 1960s, he appeared regularly in Las Vegas and also had minor engagements as an actor, but mainly in commercials and in smaller television roles. In the 1970s he was friends with Elvis Presley , who was also a guest in Las Vegas.

Although Royal was never able to build on his old successes, his career got a new boost when he switched to country in the 1980s. He made a comeback with several top 10 hits in the country charts, including Tell It Like It Is , Burned Like a Rocket , and I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow .

Interest in his music subsided in the 1990s as his pop-influenced country style was no longer hip and the neo-traditional, classic country sound came back into fashion. In 1998, his album Stay Close to Home again attracted the attention of a wider audience.

Discography

Albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1965	Down in the boondocks	-	-	-	-	US96 (7 weeks) US	Producer: Joe South
1970	Cherry Hill Park	-	-	-	-	US100 (9 weeks) US	Producer: Buddy Buie First published: 1969

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More albums

1965: Introducing 1967: Billy Joe Royal Featuring "Hush" 1971: You're the Reason (with Joe South ) 1980: Billy Joe Royal 1986: Looking Ahead 1987: The Royal Treatment 1989: Tell It Like It Is

1989: Burn Like a Rocket 1990: Out of the Shadows 1998: Stay Close to Home 2001: Now and Then, Then and Now 2007: Going by Daydreams 2009: His First Gospel Album: Hard Rock to Roll

Compilations

1985: The Best of Billy Joe Royal 1988: 20 greatest hits 1988: 16 greatest hits 1989: Greatest Hits 1992: The World of Billy Joe Royal - Down in the Boondocks 1994: Down in the Boondocks 1996: Golden Hits 2001: Drift Away

2002: The Very Best of Billy Joe Royal: The Columbia Years (1965–1971) 2003: Priceless Collection: Country Classics 2005: K-Tel Presents Billy Joe Royal: This Magic Moment 2005: Best of Billy Joe Royal 2006: Down in the Boondocks 2007: Legendary Icons 2009: Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head 2009: My Girl

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1965	Down in the Boondocks Down in the Boondocks	-	-	-	UK38 (4 weeks) UK	US9 (13 weeks) US	Writer and Producer: Joe South
	I know you when down in the boondocks	-	-	-	-	US14 (11 weeks) US	Writer and Producer: Joe South Original: Wade Flemons, 1964
	I've Got to Be Somebody Down in the Boondocks	-	-	-	-	US38 (8 weeks) US	Writer and Producer: Joe South
1966	Heart's Desire Billy Joe Royal Featuring "Hush"	-	-	-	-	US88 (3 weeks) US	Writer and Producer: Joe South
	Campfire Girls The Best of Billy Joe Royal	-	-	-	-	US91 (2 weeks) US	Author: Freddy Weller
1967	Hush Billy Joe Royal Featuring "Hush"	DE12 (14 weeks) DE	-	CH2 (11 weeks) CH	-	US52 (8 weeks) US	Writer and Producer: Joe South
1969	Cherry Hill Park Cherry Hill Park	-	-	-	-	US15 (15 weeks) US	Authors: Robert Nix, William E. Gilmore Producer: Buddy Buie
1971	Tulsa (Don't Let the Sun Set on You in Tulsa) The Best of Billy Joe Royal	-	-	-	-	US86 (3 weeks) US	Writer and Producer: Joe South
1978	Under the Boardwalk single track	-	-	-	-	US82 (4 weeks) US	Authors: Arthur Resnick, Kenny Young Producer: Chips Moman ; Original: The Drifters , 1964

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More singles

1964: Mama Didn't Raise No Fools 1965: You Make Me Feel Like a Man 1965: Steal Away 1965: I'm Specialized 1966: Don't Wait Up for Me Mama 1966: Yo-Yo 1967: The Greatest Love 1968: Don't You Be Ashamed (To Call My Name) 1968: Storybook Children 1969: Gabriel 1969: Helping Hand 1970: Poor Little Pearl 1971: Pobre perla (Poor Little Pearl) 1971: Every Night 1971: We Go Back 1972: Child of Mine 1973: This Magic Moment 1973: If This Is the Last Time 1980: He'll Have to Go 1980: (How Do I Like to Dance) Slowly

1985: Burned Like a Rocket 1986: Boardwalk Angel 1986: Old Bridges Burn Slow 1986: Another Endless Night 1987: I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow 1987: It Keeps Right on Hurtin ' 1987: Members Only (with Donna Fargo ) 1987: Hush 1987: Out of Sight and on My Mind 1987: She Don't Cry Like She Used To 1989: Till I Can't Take It Anymore 1989: Love Has No Right 1989: Cross My Heart and Hope to Cry 1990: If the Jukebox Took Teardrops 1990: Ring Where a Ring Used to Be 1990: Searchin 'for Some Kind of Clue 1990: We Need to Walk 1990: This too Shall Pass 1990: Tell It Like It Is

swell

1. ^ William Grimes: Billy Joe Royal, Pop and Country Singer, Dies at 73. In: The New York Times , October 7, 2015 (English). Retrieved October 8, 2015.
2. ^ Billboard Awards
3. ↑ ^{a b} Chart sources: Singles UK albums
4. ^ The Billboard Albums by Joel Whitburn , 6th Edition, Record Research 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 .

Web links

• Official website (English)
• Billy Joe Royal at Allmusic (English)
• Billy Joe Royal at Discogs (English)
• Discography at swisscharts.com
• Billy Joe Royal in the Internet Movie Database (English)