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Biography
Refimprove|date=January 2010Infobox musical artist|name = Billy Swan|caption =|background = solo_singer|birth_name = Billy Lance Swan|birth_date = birth date and age|mf=yes|1942|05|12|birth_place = Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau , Missouri , United States |death_date =|instrument = Human voice|Vocals , Keyboard instrument|keyboards , guitar |genre = Country music Pop music |occupation = Singing|Singer , songwriter |years_active = 1962present|label = Monument Records , A& M Records|A& M , Epic Records|Epic |associated_acts =|website = Billy Lance Swan (born 12 May 1942) is an United States|American songwriter and singer , best known for his 1974 single (music)|single , " I Can Help ".
Life
Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau , Missouri . As a child, he learned drums , piano and guitar , and began writing songs. His first big break was in 1962 when Clyde McPhatter recorded "Lover Please", a song written by Swan when he was in a local band called Mirt Mirly & the Rhythm Stoppers, and which had first been recorded by Bill Black .Allmusic|class=artist|id=p20874/biography|pure_url=yes Biography by Steve Huey at Allmusic.com McPhatter's version quickly became a #7 Billboard Hot 100|pop hit .
Swan moved to Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis to work with Black, but this was cut short with Black's illness and subsequent death in 1965. He also for a time worked on Elvis Presley 's Graceland estate. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville , which enabled him to write hit country music|country songs for numerous musician|artists , including Conway Twitty , Waylon Jennings , and Mel Tillis . In 1969, Swan first took on the role of record producer , producing Tony Joe White 's Top 40|Top Ten hit " Polk SaladAnnie ". Swan also played bass guitar for Kris Kristofferson , and then signed a solo recording deal with Monument Records .
His first album included the song "I Can Help", a rockabilly number that topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and country record chart|charts in 1974, also becoming a hit in many other countries. Swan recorded the song in two takes (without overdub s) with an RMI organ that Kristofferson and singer Rita Coolidge had bought for him as a wedding gift. However, other albums with Monument, A& M Records|A& M , and Epic Records|Epic did not have nearly the success of his first.
In 1979, Swan travelled to Havana , Cuba , to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival that took place between 24 March, alongside Stephen Stills , the CBS Jazz All-Stars , the Trio of Doom , Fania All-Stars , Weather Report , Bonnie Bramlett , Mike Finnegan , Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge and Billy Joel , plus an array of Cuban artists such as Irakere , Pacho Alonso , Tata Gόines and Orquesta Aragσn . His performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos 's documentary Havana Jam '79 .Citation needed|date=January 2010 Swan continued to tour as a member of Kristofferson's band, and has recorded two albums with Randy Meisner of The Eagles . In 1986 he walked into a Californian studio (Bench Records) as part of a band called Black Tie (band)|Black Tie and along with Meisner, Jimmy Griffin (Bread), David Kemper (drummer), David Miner and David Mansfield recorded an album called When the Night Falls . He recorded another solo album, Like Elvis Used to Do in 2000, and another Black Tie-style album with Meisner and Charlie Rich, Jr. billed as "Meisner, Swan & Rich".As of|2005, Swan remained a backing singer|back-up and session musician .
Swan was married to his late wife Marlu for 30 years. They had two daughters, recording artists Planet Swan & Sierra Swan .
"Your Picture Still Loves Me (And I Still Love You)"
56
1983
"Rainbows and Butterflies"
39
"Yes"
67
1986
"You Must Be Lookin' for Me"
45
1987
" I'm Gonna Get You "
63
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
List of Billboard Hot Country Songs chart achievements
List of performers on Top of the Pops
References
reflist
External links
http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview_billy_swan.shtml Interview with Billy Swan
http://music.yahoo.com/ar-265658-bio--Billy-Swan Yahoo& #33; Music biography
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/SwanBilly1.html Billy Swan at Rockabilly
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Billy+Swan Billy Swan at Discogs
Persondata|NAME=Swan, Billy |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=Musician, songwriter |DATE OF BIRTH=May 12, 1942 |PLACE OF BIRTH= Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau , Missouri |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= DEFAULTSORT:Swan, Billy Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:American pop singers Category:American country singers Category:People from Cape Girardeau, Missouri Category:Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees Category:American session musicians Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:Monument Records artists Category:Red Baron Records artists
de:Billy Swan nl:Billy Swan sv:Billy Swan
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