Billy Hill (band)
Billy Hill was an American country music group founded by singer/songwriter/guitarists Dennis Robbins, Bob DiPiero and John Scott Sherrill, along with Reno Kling (bass guitar) and Martin Parker (drums).[1] Before the group's foundation, Robbins had been a member of The Rockets (later The Detroit Wheels),[2] and Kling played bass for Steve Earle.[3] Sherrill and Robbins alternated as lead vocalists,[4] but credited the frontman role to a fictional character named Billy Hill and wrote a biography on the character.[5]
Billy Hill | |
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Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
Genres | Country |
Years active | 1989–1990 |
Labels | Reprise |
Associated acts | The Detroit Wheels |
Past members | Bob DiPiero Reno Kling Martin Parker Dennis Robbins John Scott Sherrill |
The band recorded one album for Reprise Records and charted two singles on the Billboard country charts. After disbanding in 1990, Robbins became a solo artist for Giant. DiPiero and Sherrill have continued working as songwriters.
I Am Just a Rebel (1989)
I Am Just a Rebel | |
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Studio album by Billy Hill | |
Released | 1989 |
Genre | Country |
Label | Reprise |
Producer | Billy Hill |
Track listing
All tracks are written by DiPiero, Robbins and Sherrill except as noted.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Too Much Month at the End of the Money" | 2:21 |
2. | "Nickel to My Name" | 2:35 |
3. | "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr.) | 3:34 |
4. | "These Lonely Blues" (Sherrill, DiPiero) | 4:03 |
5. | "Rollin' Dice" | 3:26 |
6. | "What's a Boy to Do" | 2:56 |
7. | "Just in Case You Want to Know" | 3:31 |
8. | "I Am Just a Rebel" | 3:32 |
9. | "Drive On By" | 3:59 |
10. | "Gettin' On Down the Road" | 3:33 |
Personnel
Compiled from liner notes.[4]
Billy Hill
- Bob DiPiero — background vocals
- Reno Kling — bass guitar
- Martin Parker — drums, percussion
- Dennis Robbins — lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar
- John Scott Sherrill — lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Additional musicians
- Bucky Baxter — steel guitar
- Barry Beckett — piano, Hammond B-3 organ
- Bessyl Duhon — accordion
- Glen Duncan — fiddle, mandolin
Chart performance
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 55 |
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US Country[1] | CAN Country | |||
1989 | "Too Much Month (At the End of the Money)" | 25 | — | I Am Just a Rebel |
"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" | 58 | 61 | ||
1990 | "Nickel to My Name" | —A | 76 | |
"No Chance to Dance" | — | — | N/A | |
"Blue Angel" | — | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Notes:
- A "Nickel in My Name" did not chart on Hot Country Songs, but peaked at No. 10 on Hot Country Radio Breakouts.[6]
Guest singles
Year | Single | Artist | Peak positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|---|
US Country | ||||
1990 | "Tomorrow's World" | Various artists | 74 | N/A |
Music videos
Year | Video | Director |
---|---|---|
1990 | "Nickel to My Name" | |
"No Chance to Dance" | ||
"Tomorrow's World" (Various) | Gustavo Garzon | |
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 49. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
- Brennan, Sandra; Brian Mansfield. "Dennis Robbins biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
- "Billy Hill". Stereo Review. 54 (7–12): 136.
- I Am Just a Rebel (CD booklet). Billy Hill. Reprise Records. 1989. 25915.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Hurst, Jack (12 November 1989). "Game of the name Billy Hill has fun but takes singing seriously". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- "Hot Country Radio Breakouts" (PDF). Billboard. March 17, 1990.