Singer Billy Joe Royal dies,Musician Billy Joe Royal, the articulation of 1960s pop hits including "Down in the Boondocks" who resurfaced as a country brilliant in the 1980s, died at age 73.
Royal died in his beddy-bye Tuesday in his home in Morehead City, Arctic Carolina, acquaintance and bout accomplice Ronnie McDowell said.
McDowell, a adolescence friend, said the two were appointed to alpha touring afterwards Thanksgiving.
There was "never a nicer guy on the planet than Billy," he said. "Now he belongs to the ages."Royal was built-in in 1942 in Valdosta, Georgia, and aloft arctic of Atlanta. He performed on bounded radio shows afore affective to Savannah to accomplish with the abode bandage at the Bamboo Ranch. There, he became accompany with Roy Orbison and abstruse from bedfellow performers at the club, including Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and The Isley Brothers, according to his biography.
His aboriginal hits bore traces of pop and R&B, including 1965's "Down in the Boondocks," which launched his career, peaking at amount nine on the Billboard Top 100. Subsequent hits included "I Knew You When" and "Cherry Hill Park," his final top 40 on the pop archive in 1969, according to Billboard.Royal larboard Columbia to almanac music on abate labels in the 1970s afore absolution a self-titled anthology in 1980 with Mercury Records. He was assertive for a improvement in 1985 with his aboriginal absolution for Atlantic Records, "Burned like a Rocket." The clue was aggressive the country singles blueprint if the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, and "radio alone it like a hot potato," Royal said in a 2010 interview, according to Billboard.
His career connected with 14 singles that hit the country charts, including "Tell It Like It Is," which ailing at amount two in 1989. His final blueprint individual was 1992's "I'm Okay (And Gettin' Better)," which ailing at amount 51 on the Country Airplay chart.
He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988. His a lot of contempo project, "His Aboriginal Gospel Album," was appear in 2009. Since again he has toured with added performers from his era, including B.J. Thomas and McDowell.
Thomas mourned Royal's death.
"My best friend, Billy Joe Royal, died this morning. He was a candied and accomplished man. Never a bad word. One of a kind."
Royal died in his beddy-bye Tuesday in his home in Morehead City, Arctic Carolina, acquaintance and bout accomplice Ronnie McDowell said.
McDowell, a adolescence friend, said the two were appointed to alpha touring afterwards Thanksgiving.
There was "never a nicer guy on the planet than Billy," he said. "Now he belongs to the ages."Royal was built-in in 1942 in Valdosta, Georgia, and aloft arctic of Atlanta. He performed on bounded radio shows afore affective to Savannah to accomplish with the abode bandage at the Bamboo Ranch. There, he became accompany with Roy Orbison and abstruse from bedfellow performers at the club, including Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and The Isley Brothers, according to his biography.
His aboriginal hits bore traces of pop and R&B, including 1965's "Down in the Boondocks," which launched his career, peaking at amount nine on the Billboard Top 100. Subsequent hits included "I Knew You When" and "Cherry Hill Park," his final top 40 on the pop archive in 1969, according to Billboard.Royal larboard Columbia to almanac music on abate labels in the 1970s afore absolution a self-titled anthology in 1980 with Mercury Records. He was assertive for a improvement in 1985 with his aboriginal absolution for Atlantic Records, "Burned like a Rocket." The clue was aggressive the country singles blueprint if the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, and "radio alone it like a hot potato," Royal said in a 2010 interview, according to Billboard.
His career connected with 14 singles that hit the country charts, including "Tell It Like It Is," which ailing at amount two in 1989. His final blueprint individual was 1992's "I'm Okay (And Gettin' Better)," which ailing at amount 51 on the Country Airplay chart.
He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988. His a lot of contempo project, "His Aboriginal Gospel Album," was appear in 2009. Since again he has toured with added performers from his era, including B.J. Thomas and McDowell.
Thomas mourned Royal's death.
"My best friend, Billy Joe Royal, died this morning. He was a candied and accomplished man. Never a bad word. One of a kind."
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