Billy Burnette

Biography

Dorsey William Burnette III (born May 8, 1953, in Memphis, Tennessee, United States) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1996. Burnette also had a brief career in acting.

Family background

The son of Dorsey Burnette and Alberta Burnette, Billy Burnette was born into a musical family. His father and his uncle Johnny Burnette (singer of the 1960 hits "Dreamin'" and "You're Sixteen") were two of the members of the 1950s band The Rock and Roll Trio, which also included Paul Burlison. Johnny had a son named Rocky, born around the time as Billy, who also became a musician.

First recording

In the late 1950s, the Burnette family moved to Los Angeles, where his father and uncle worked with Ricky Nelson. Nelson had hit songs with "Believe What You Say", written by Dorsey Burnette and Johnny Burnette, and "It's Late", written by Dorsey.
Billy Burnette made his first recording when he was seven, appearing with Ricky Nelson on the song "Hey Daddy (I'm Gonna Tell Santa On You)" (Dot, 1960).
He toured with Brenda Lee while teaching himself to play guitar. After graduating from high school, his father took him to Memphis to meet record producer Chips Moman, who had recently finished recording Presley's songs "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto". He went with Moman to Atlanta before going to Nashville in 1971 and collaborating with Larry Henley. In addition to songwriting, Burnette spent three years on the road as Roger Miller's rhythm guitarist.

Early albums to 1980s

In 1972, Burnette signed with Entrance Records and recorded his debut album, Billy Burnette. In 1979, he switched to Polydor Records and released his second album, again titled Billy Burnette. His third album, Between Friends×Between Friends1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1What’s a Little Love Between FriendsA2All My LifeA3Are You Dreamin’ the Same DreamA4Out‐Run the SunA5Sittin’ on the Dock of the BayB1Help Is on the WayB2Hey, You Got a WayB3Love Is in MotionB4Rain DanceB5Precious Time (Polydor, 1979), contained "What's a Little Love Between Friends", which charted briefly on the low end of the Billboard country chart. The album also had a cover version of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding.
After he signed with Columbia Records, he issued the third album to be called Billy Burnette (Columbia, 1980), his fourth album overall. The song "Don't Say No" reached No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Honey Hush" and "Tear It Up" were performed by his father and uncle. "One Night" was a cover of an Elvis Presley song. Videos were made for the tracks "Don't Say No" and "In Just a Heartbeat". The album Gimme You×Gimme You1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Whatcha Gonna Do When the Sun Goes Down2:52A2Gettin' Back (To You and Me)2:54A3The Bigger the Love3:53A4I Don't Know Why3:18A5Gimme You3:11B1Love Ain't Easy3:15B2Let the New Love Begin2:56B3I Don't Wanna Know3:41B4Gone Again2:49B5Take You Around the World (In My Arms)4:01 followed in 1981.
In 1985, Eddy Raven ("She's Gonna Win Your Heart") and Ray Charles ("Do I Ever Cross Your Mind") reached the charts with songs written by Burnette. Other artists who have sung his songs include Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Gregg Allman, Loretta Lynn, Charlie Pride, Tanya Tucker, and Ringo Starr.
In 1986, Burnette released Soldier of Love. The title track peaked at No. 54 on the country charts and remained in the top 100 for seven weeks. He was nominated for Best New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. In 1987, he wrote "(All I Can Do Is) Dream You" for Roy Orbison. Curb released its final Billy Burnette album, Brother to Brother×Brother to Brother1988 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Brother to Brother4:29A2Ain't It Just Like Love2:54A3It Ain't Over4:11A4Looks Like It's Gonna Rain Today3:10A5Try Me3:35B1I've Just Seen a Face2:18B2Soldier of Love3:02B3Let's Take a Drive2:40B4Guitar Bug3:26B5Roll Over3:25, a compilation with the title song added from the film Gleaming the Cube.

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 of the songs from Coming Home were featured in Burnette's acting debut in the film Saturday Night Special. 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. Are You With Me Baby, a rockabilly album, followed on the Free Falls Entertainment label. The album had 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×Memphis in Manhattan2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Memphis Blues5:002My Love Will Not Change6:123Everything Is Broken5:024Oh Well3:095Big Hunk of Love3:126Faded Love3:257Can’t Wait to Get Back Home2:498It’s Late2:299Tryin’ to Get Away2:5810Tear It Up4:3711Bye Bye Love4:08 (2006), which was 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, Burnett and Shawn Camp released a bluegrass tribute to Elvis Presley. The album featured thirteen songs previously recorded by Elvis, onto which Camp and Burnette added their vocals.

With Fleetwood Mac

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×Gimme You1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Whatcha Gonna Do When the Sun Goes Down2:52A2Gettin' Back (To You and Me)2:54A3The Bigger the Love3:53A4I Don't Know Why3:18A5Gimme You3:11B1Love Ain't Easy3:15B2Let the New Love Begin2:56B3I Don't Wanna Know3:41B4Gone Again2:49B5Take You Around the World (In My Arms)4:01", 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, guitarist and singer for Fleetwood Mac. In 1984, Burnette co-wrote the song "So Excited" with Christine McVie, who sang and played keyboards in Fleetwood Mac. The song appeared on McVie's solo album, and Burnette appeared with her on MTV for Christine McVie: The Video Album. He sang on the song "Are You Mine" with Stevie Nicks, another Fleetwood Mac vocalist. The song was intended for Nicks's album Rock a Little but was not included. McVie and Fleetwood performed on Burnette's album Try Me×Try MeStudio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Try Me3:302Ain't It Just Like Love2:473It Ain't Over4:054Guitar Bug3:265I'm Not Me3:266Roll Over3:227Who's Using Your Heart Tonight3:498Talkin' Love3:199The Letter3:0310Rock And Roll Lullaby4:2611Way Down3:27 (Curb, 1985). Two songs 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 a Greatest Hits album (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, 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 Fleetwood Mac at the end of 1991 and Christine McVie decided to retire from touring. Burnette helped Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie with his first solo album. Burnette left Fleetwood Mac in early 1993 to pursue a solo and acting career. In 1994, Burnette reunited with Fleetwood Mac. The band featured two new members, vocalist Bekka Bramlett and guitarist Dave Mason. The band toured in 1994 and 1995, and then released the album Time (1995) on October 10, 1995. Burnette wrote "Talkin' to My Heart" and "I Got It in for You" with Deborah Allen. With Bramlett he wrote "Dreamin' the Dream".
After Fleetwood Mac went on hiatus in 1996, Burnette and Bramlett formed the country duo Bekka & Billy. They moved to Nashville and attracted the attention of producer Garth Fundis. They released the album Bekka and Billy in 1997 but they broke up in 1998.

Albums

Billy Burnette (Entrance, 1972)
Billy Burnette (Polydor, 1979)
Between Friends (Polydor, 1979)
Billy Burnette (Columbia, 1980)
Gimme You (Columbia, 1981)
Try Me (Curb, 1985)
Soldier of Love (Curb, 1986)
Brother to Brother (Curb, 1988)
Coming Home (Capricorn, 1993)
Bekka & Billy (Almo, 1997) (with Bekka Bramlett)
All Night Long (Grand Avenue, 1999)
Are You With Me Baby (Free Falls, 2000)
Memphis in Manhattan (Chesky, 2006)
The Bluegrass Elvises, Volume 1 (American Roots, 2007) (with Shawn Camp)
Rock & Roll With It (Rock & Roll With It, 2011)
Crazy Like Me (Rock & Roll With It, 2017)
With Fleetwood Mac

Greatest Hits (WEA/Warner Bros., 1988)
Behind the Mask (WEA/Warner Bros, 1990)
25 Years – The Chain (Warner Bros., 1992)
Time (WEA/Warner Brothers, 1995)
The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac (Reprise, 2002)
50 Years – Don't Stop (Rhino, 2018)
Other contributions

I'm Not Me, Mick Fleetwood's Zoo, (RCA, 1983)
Just One of the Guys (Elektra, 1985)
"Get an Education" from Summer School (Chrysalis, 1987)
Homer and Eddie (Apache, 1989)
John McVie's "Gotta Band" with Lola Thomas (Warner Bros., 1992)
Bikers' Choice, Vol. 1, Steel Cowboys (Intersound, 1999)
Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (Dualtone, 2002)
In the Meantime, Christine McVie (Koch, 2004)