<back - BILLY VERA & THE BEATERS  - Billy Vera & the Beaters are commonly associated with 1987’s At This Moment, which hit #1 on the Billboard charts. Father Time--often a musician’s worst enemy---has been Billy’s ally, conferring well-deserved success upon his middle years. Born 1944 as William McCord in Riverside CA., Vera was raised in New York. He has amassed a significant discography dating back to 1962. That decade also yielded 2 top 40 hits with Judy Clay --making them the first white/black pairing in Soul music history. Storybook Children from 1967, written by Vera and Chip Taylor, and follow-up Country Girl--City Man was also successful.

Issued originally on the Atlantic label, the duo’s Storybook Children album, combined with Billy’s Atlantic solo album--With Pen In Hand--are now available on the Collectables label. During his forty-year career, Vera has recorded on such major labels as Capitol, Rhino, Epic, and Atlantic. While that presents a formidable legacy, it merely hints at Vera’s far-reaching versatility with accomplishments in songwriting, arranging, and producing. Also, his comprehensive and perceptive essays on Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Doo-Wop, Rhythm n' Blues, Soul, and Jazz has contributed to our understanding of these genres, and made him a highly sought-out compiler of retrospectives on legendary artists, such as Junior Parker, Joe Turner, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, Little Richard, the Clovers, and Floyd Dixon. On Rhino Records, Vera has written liner notes and assembled the material for retrospectives of Percy Mayfield and the Drifters. Billy’s involvement with Rhino’s The R&B Box earned him a Grammy nomination in the Best Historical Package category in 1996. He also garnered similar recognition for Ray Charles 50th Anniversary box set. Vera’s songwriting talents lean toward soulful offerings endowed with evocative lyrics that millions readily identify with. Here are a few highlights from Vera’s illustrious song register. His first solo hit was With Pen In Hand /1968; his first hit for another artist was Mean Old World for Rick Nelson in 1965; his first #1 was I Really Got The Feeling for Dolly Parton in 1979. His biggest seller for another artist is Papa Come Quick, on Bonnie Raitt’s Luck Of The Draw album--that’s sold over 5 million. Vera’s solo career took a 70's hiatus, but a West Coast relocation to write for Warner Brothers Music rekindled the performing bug. Forming The Beaters, Vera & company quickly became the in-attraction on the Hollywood and beach club scene. The resulting 1981 album was an instant classic, begetting the hit I Can Take Care Of Myself. Then tv's Family Ties chose At This Moment to grace a 1986 episode, and it barreled up the charts.  Vera also has movie scores and themes to his credit, many of which also featured his singing: Empty Nest (1988) The Kings Of Queen (1998), and The Haunted (2001).
-Gary Tate/LivinBlues   MP3- At This Moment |