MyCountrySpace.com

Billy J May
Pinckney, Michigan

Billy's music career started in the coal mining camps of Eastern Kentucky when he heard the
twang of bluegrass pickers on Saturday nite hillbilly get togethers.When his Dad took him to
Pikeville,Ky to see George Jones performing,the long journey to become a professional player
was set into motion. With a fourteen dollar guitar bought by his Grandmother the young wannabe
followed older players whenever possible to learn the sounds he had grown to love.As he got older
sock hops,school dances and other events set a lifelong dream in motion.
At the age of eighteen Billy entered the U.S. Marines and six months later he was holding
a different instrument in the jungles of Viet Nam, after discharge,Billy traveled to Detroit,Michigan
where he landed a guitar playing job at the legendary Hollywood Lounge and with the help of his
mentor Casey Clark he played at larger clubs in the area and finally found his way to Nashville where
he played for performers such as Joe Stampley,Billy Walker,Johnny Paycheck and other Stars during the years to follow.
Later he formed his own groups,Bullroper Band,Texarkana, The Great American Yahoo Brothers Show band.
In 2000 and 2001 his Father,Grandmother and his biggest tragedy His Wife passed away which threw his life
into turmoil for many years. In 2009 he traveled back from Texas to his roots in Ky and later
to Detroit,determined to revive a career he had lost.and with the help of Family,Friends,a Telecaster guitar.
a new ambition was born.. In the latter part of 2010 Billy and a old friend Ray Nava reformed The Chillbilly Band
and the explosion began again..