Biography

JERSEY DINER MUSIC

The Tracks of My Years featuring vintage recordings from the archives of veteran writer/producer Billy Terrell. Billy started his career in the music business in the summer of 1963 and today has over 2000 commercially released recordings to his credit with 52 reaching the national and international charts in 8 genres.

Here is the history and anecdotes related to the tracks on this compilation:

Venus (1991 Re-make):

Billy's relationship with Frankie Avalon began in the fall of 1975 when Delite Records in New York City signed Frankie and offered him the job as producer. Out of the first session came the smash hit disco version of Frankie's classic 1959 hit record "Venus". In 1991, Billy and Frankie regrouped to record an album of new recordings of hit songs of the 50's and early 60's, including remakes of Venus and another of his hits Bobby Sox To Stockings also featured in this compilation. The Album "Especially For You" was primarily promoted and sold through direct response television advertising in 1992.

My Boyfriend's Back

In 1983 Billy called on his old friends the original Angels, Peggy, Barbara and Jiggs, to record a new MTV style version of their 1962 smash hit "My Boyfriend's Back". They specifically patterned the recording after the campy records of the day and John Hammond at Columbia was interested in signing and releasing it. Before the the agreement was ready Melissa Manchester came out with a disco version of the song which charted for only a few weeks but killed the deal. This recording has laid in a box on a 71/2 IPS reel to reel tape for 45 years. Available now for the first time worldwide.

Ain't Nothin' Shakin'

Terrell and Dahrouge co-wrote several R&B hit songs for a variety of artists from 1969 to 1973. They also recorded as a duet for Metromedia and Paramount Records from 1968 to 1971. This recording of "Ain't Nothin' Shakin'" which they co-wrote with Ebbie Wooley was recorded at Century Sound Studios on 52nd Street in New York City in the spring of 1969. Brooks Arthur engineered the session. The recording was never released and is available now for the first time after 42 years on the shelf.

Do It My Way

Billy Terrell first recorded as a solo artist for Kama Sutra Records in the spring of 1965. This demo of "Do It My Way" was written by Billy to an existing track that was initially intended for The Shangri La's. He recorded it at Allegro Studios in the basement of 1650 Broadway but it was never released. He was drafted in the Army and sent to Vietnam shortly after the session. This track has been digitally remastered from an the original acetate reference disk from 45 years ago.

Til Judy Turns To Me

In the early '70s Terrell wrote songs and recorded demos to pitch to many of the pop artists that were hot on the charts back then. 'Til Judy Turns To Me" was written spefiically for "White Plains" on Bell Records but they never recorded it. This track is the original demo written, produced and performed by Billy. The tapes dated back to 1974.

Bobby Sox To Stockings

As with "Venus" in 1991, we re-recorded this song as well. Bobby Sox was a big favorite of mine when it came out in the late 50's. I decided to arrange it a little different with Ron Kerber on saxophone to add a contempory touch. This song was Frankie's 3rd biggest hit behind "Venus" and Why in 1959. "Why" was the last number one record of the 1950's.


When The Good Guys Used To Win

Ray Dahrouge and I teamed up in the early 90's for the first time in over 30 years to write a few songs together. We wrote "Good Guys" initially with the country music market in mind. We even had a Nashville demo made and came very close to having the song recorded by a few top country artists of the day including Doug Stone. Then in 1999 I decided to put together a project called Frankie Avalon's Good Guys which featured original masters of several artists who toured with Frankie in the 50's. I recorded Frankie on our song and added it as a bonus on the "Good Guys" compilation. The song got a lot of airplay and helped drive sales of the concept CD.

My World Is Empty Without You, Babe

This track I recorded on the same session in 1983 with "My Boyfriend's Back" by The Angels and "Nothin' But Heartaches/Nowhere To Run by Deborah Washington. It is available now for the first time anywhere. As with "Boyfriend" I couldn't find support for the record at the time. The Deborah Washington record is still relevant worldwide today.

Travelin' Man

This track I remastered from an acetate demo which was my very first recording in a professional studio in the summer of 1963. My fist manager at the time, Vic Catala, took me into Variety Recording Studios on West 46th Street in NYC and had me sing on this existing music track to hear how my voice sounded on a recording. I was 18 years old.