Billy Burnette

Music career

Billy Burnette made his first recording at age seven, appearing with Ricky Nelson on the 1960 song "Hey Daddy (I'm Gonna Tell Santa On You)" (Dot). He toured with Brenda Lee while teaching himself to play guitar. After high school, his father took him to Memphis to meet producer Chips Moman, who had recently finished recording Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto." Burnette went with Moman to Atlanta before moving to Nashville in 1971 to collaborate with Larry Henley.

Early albums to 1980s

He spent three years on the road as Roger Miller's rhythm guitarist. In 1972, Burnette signed with Entrance Records and released his debut album, Billy Burnette. He switched to Polydor Records in 1979 for a second album, also titled Billy Burnette, and released Between Friends (Polydor, 1979), whose single "What's a Little Love Between Friends" charted briefly on the low end of the Billboard country chart. After signing with Columbia Records, he issued a fourth album, Billy Burnette (Columbia, 1980); the song "Don't Say No" reached No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Videos were made for "Don't Say No" and "In Just a Heartbeat." The album Gimme You followed in 1981. In 1985, Eddy Raven ("She's Gonna Win Your Heart") and Ray Charles ("Do I Ever Cross Your Mind") charted with songs Burnette wrote. In 1986, his album Soldier of Love had a title track that peaked at No. 54 on the country charts and stayed in the top 100 for seven weeks; he was nominated for Best New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music.

With Fleetwood Mac

In 1987, he wrote "(All I Can Do Is) Dream You" for Roy Orbison. Burnette met Mick Fleetwood during a taping of Dick Clark's anniversary special. Fleetwood invited him to join the band The Zoo, and for their album I'm Not Me (RCA, 1983), Burnette sang lead vocals on several tracks. In 1984, he co-wrote "So Excited" with Christine McVie, who sang and played keyboards in Fleetwood Mac.

He sang on "Are You Mine" with Stevie Nicks. McVie and Fleetwood performed on Burnette's album Try Me (Curb, 1985), and two songs from it cracked the Billboard country charts: "Try Me" and "Ain't It Just Like Love."

When Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac parted ways in 1987, Burnette and guitarist Rick Vito were asked to join the band. After the Shake the Cage tour, Fleetwood Mac released Greatest Hits (1988) with two new songs featuring Burnette and Vito: "As Long as You Follow" and "No Questions Asked." For the album Behind the Mask (1990), Burnette wrote "Hard Feelings" and "When It Comes to Love" and co-wrote three other tracks. Vito and Nicks left at the end of 1991, and Christine McVie decided to retire from touring.

Burnette left Fleetwood Mac in early 1993 to pursue solo and acting work. He reunited with the band in 1994, which now featured vocalist Bekka Bramlett and guitarist Dave Mason. They toured in 1994 and 1995 and released the album Time on October 10, 1995. Burnette wrote "Talkin' to My Heart" and "I Got It in for You" with Deborah Allen, and with Bramlett he wrote "Dreamin' the Dream."

After Fleetwood Mac went on hiatus in 1996, Burnette and Bramlett formed the country duo Bekka & Billy, releasing an album in 1997 before breaking up in 1998.

Solo career (1990s–present)

In 1992, Burnette signed with Capricorn Records, which issued Coming Home. Although "Nothing to Do (and All Night to Do It)" was not on the album, it reached No. 64 on the Billboard country chart. Many songs from Coming Home were featured in his acting debut in the film Saturday Night Special (1994). Between 1994 and 1998, he appeared in the films Not Like Us, Carnosaur 3: Primal Species, Casper Meets Wendy, Addams Family Reunion, and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish.

In 1999, he signed with Grand Avenue Records and released All Night Long. The rockabilly album Are You With Me Baby followed on the Free Falls Entertainment label, including one cover, "Believe What You Say." Between 2001 and 2005, he covered "Copperhead Road" by Steve Earle and "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash. He toured as a member of Bob Dylan's backup band and in 2004 became a member of John Fogerty's band.

After a hiatus from solo albums, he released Memphis in Manhattan (2006), recorded live by Chesky Records at St. Peter's Church in New York City. The album included cover versions of "Everything Is Broken" by Bob Dylan, "Oh Well" by Fleetwood Mac, "Big Hunk of Love" by Elvis Presley, "It's Late" and "Tear It Up" by Rick Nelson, and "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers. In 2007, Burnette and Shawn Camp released a bluegrass tribute to Elvis Presley, featuring thirteen songs previously recorded by Elvis, onto which they added their vocals.

Fleetwood Mac years

Burnette met Mick Fleetwood during a taping of Dick Clark's anniversary special. A few months later, Fleetwood invited him to join the band The Zoo. For the Zoo's album I'm Not Me (RCA, 1983), Burnette sang lead vocals on "I'm Not Me"; "Angel Come Home", a Beach Boys song; "Gimme You", a cover of his own song; and "Tear It Up", written by his father. In 1982, the Zoo performed on Saturday Night Live as the backing band for Lindsey Buckingham.

In 1984, Burnette co-wrote "So Excited" with Christine McVie, and the song appeared on McVie's solo album. He sang on "Are You Mine" with Stevie Nicks. McVie and Fleetwood performed on Burnette's album Try Me (Curb, 1985). When Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac parted ways in 1987, Burnette and guitarist Rick Vito were asked to join the band.

After the Shake the Cage tour, Fleetwood Mac released Greatest Hits (1988), featuring two new songs with Burnette and Vito: "As Long as You Follow" and "No Questions Asked." For their next album, Behind the Mask (1990), Burnette wrote "Hard Feelings" and "When It Comes to Love" and co-wrote "In the Back of My Mind", "Do You Know", and "When the Sun Goes Down." Vito and Nicks left at the end of 1991, and Christine McVie decided to retire from touring.

Burnette left Fleetwood Mac in early 1993 to pursue a solo and acting career. In 1994, Burnette reunited with Fleetwood Mac, which now featured vocalist Bekka Bramlett and guitarist Dave Mason. The band toured in 1994 and 1995, then released the album Time on October 10, 1995. Burnette wrote "Talkin' to My Heart" and "I Got It in for You" with Deborah Allen, and with Bramlett he wrote "Dreamin' the Dream."

After Fleetwood Mac went on hiatus in 1996, Burnette and Bramlett formed the country duo Bekka & Billy, releasing Bekka and Billy in 1997 before breaking up in 1998.