Theo Wargo, Getty Images - Ozzy Osbourne fails to recall a rather hazy period of…
Rockabilly Pioneer Billy Lee Riley Dies at 75
- Posted on Aug 5th 2009 10:00AM by John D. Luerssen
Rockabilly innovator, songwriter and one-time Sun Records recording artist Billy Lee Riley died Sunday of colon cancer that had spread to the bone. Riley, 75, had been convalescing at a hospital in Jonesboro, Arkansas.A raucous performer responsible for the 1957 rockabilly numbers 'Flyin' Saucers Rock and Roll' and 'Red Hot' -- both of which featured Jerry Lee Lewis on piano -- Riley also worked as a studio musician for the likes of Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen have publicly acknowledged Riley, who was introduced to the blues by black sharecroppers as a child, as one of their favorite performers from the era.
Despite being an influential act, he never achieved the stardom of Sun peers. Riley blamed the label's owner Sam Phillips for prioritizing Lewis' 'Great Balls of Fire' over 'Red Hot' in a 2000 San Diego Union-Tribune interview, saying, "After Jerry Lee got on the label, Sam got hung up on him. A singing piano player was something very different, and he thought it could be another Elvis Presley." After being booked on DJ Alan Freed's rock and roll tour, Riley claimed that "Sam got me kicked off the tour and sabotaged my record and called the distributors and canceled all the orders because he only wanted to go with Jerry Lee."
Riley performed for Sun Records for four years with his band, the Little Green Men, and was notable for being the first rockabilly band to incorporate saxophone and piano. In 1962, he had moved to Los Angeles working on sessions by Herb Alpert, Rick Nelson, Dean Martin, the Beach Boys and Sammy Davis Jr. In the early '70s, he quit music altogether and returned home to Arkansas .
A private funeral was held yesterday in Newport, Arkansas. Riley is survived by his fourth wife, four children, three siblings and two grandchildren.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=404961&pid=404960&uts=1249482834
http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf
Recently Departed Music Stars
Gordon Waller, July 19: As half of the pop duo Peter and Gordon, the dapper crooner landed hit after hit during the 1960s British Invasion, including the Paul McCartney-penned songs 'A World Without Love' and 'Nobody I Know.' Waller died at 64 of cardiovascular disease.
Jeremy Fletcher, Redferns / Getty Images
Jeremy Fletcher, Redferns / Getty Images
Dearly Departed Musicians
Billy Lee Riley, Aug. 2: Rockabilly innovator, songwriter and one-time Sun Records recording artist Billy Lee Riley died Sunday of colon cancer that had spread to the bone. Riley, 75, had been convalescing at a hospital in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Lici Beveridge, Jonesboro Sun / AP
Gordon Waller, July 19: As half of the pop duo Peter and Gordon, the dapper crooner landed hit after hit during the 1960s British Invasion, including the Paul McCartney-penned songs 'A World Without Love' and 'Nobody I Know.' Waller died at 64 of cardiovascular disease.
Jeremy Fletcher, Redferns / Getty Images
Michael Jackson, June 25: The "King of Pop" died after suffering cardiac arrest in Los Angeles just as he was preparing an ambitous comeback. The father of three was 50.
Rusty Kennedy, AP
Bob Bogle, June 14: The lead guitarist and co-founder of instrumental rock band the Ventures, died at age 75 in June 2009. Bogle suffered from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma but survived long enough to see the group get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year.
Ebet Roberts, Getty Images
Barry Beckett, June 10: Producer and Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section keyboardist Barry Beckett died at his home in Hendersonville, Tenn. after a series of illnesses. He was 66.
Matt McKean, Times Daily
Hugh Hopper, June 7: The bassist for prog-rock pioneers Soft Machine passed away in Kent, England after a battle with leukemia. He was 64.
Keystone / Getty Images
Kenny Rankin, June 7: Singer-songwriter Kenny Rankin passed away at Los Angeles, Calif.'s Cedars Sinai hospital from complications of lung cancer. He was 69.
Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images
Jeff Hanson, June 5: Singer-songwriter and Kill Rock Stars recording artist Jeff Hanson, 31, was found dead in his apartment.
Jim Newberry
Koko Taylor, June 3: National treasure and blues legend Koko Taylor passed away of complications due to recent surgery. She was 80 years old.
Rafa Rivas, AFP / Getty Images
Jay Bennett, May 24: The multi-instrumentalist and former member of Wilco passed away in his sleep of unknown causes. He was 45 years old.
Patrick Ford, Redferns / Getty Images
All the AOL Music info you want to know
Chris Brown Brings Aaliyah Back for…
The BoomboxJason Merritt, Getty Images For several weeks now, there has been talk regarding…
Farewell 2 Fear Rock Up Cover of…
NoisecreepPhoto Credit: Zach Thomas Check your pre-conceived notions at the door,…
News Roundup - Carrie Underwood and…
The BootRick Diamond, Getty Images Still hungry for even more country music news? Check…
Add a Comment
Mike Licht
August was a rough month for American music.
See
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/a-rough-month-for-american-music/
Sara
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sara
f i sherman
and the far off voice was heard singing, ' My gal is red hot (background) Your gal ain't diddly squat........" Yhanks for the memories Daddy O.
August 06 2009 at 1:23 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
f i sherman
Oh, she'll just move back to Montana, Barb...... Ya know how these kids are, never stayin in one place too long......
August 05 2009 at 6:48 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
louisiana_sweetie2002
some people can't read!
August 05 2009 at 6:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
johncelvis
thats stupid comment is uncalled for and not funny billy lee riley is the one that died
August 05 2009 at 5:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
michael bartalomy
people of the earth can you hear me,came a voice from the sky on that magical night
Billy Thorpe Children of the sun
flamethrowinmike
1 reply to flamethrowinmike's comment
All the music greats are leaving us.Soon there will be no good musicians left.
August 05 2009 at 5:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
kw
You need to listen to some CD'S and put up those old 45's. Then maybe you will see that there is a lot of talent out there that is younger than 65 years old.
August 05 2009 at 7:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
monica
1 reply to monica's comment
IT seems that more people are dying of cancer these days. What's wrong with this picture???
August 05 2009 at 5:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Robert J. Cooper
The short answer may be the American diet. According to T.Colin Campbell, author of "The China Study", the most massive nutritional study to date, the Asians in their country get 90 percent less prostate and breast cancer; however, the ones who move to stateside and other western diet areas, soon catch up with the maladies. Check out "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman; "Prevent and Reverse Heart Attacks" by Dr.Caldwell Esselstyn; "The Okinawa Program", "The Kellog Study"
August 05 2009 at 7:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Verne Strickland
Man, the shadows grow long in the history of rock and rollers, don't they? Billy Lee Riley came close to the big spotlight, but didn't get the blessing of Sam Phillips. Many of us heard him, but many didn't. God rest his soul. Gets my heart to recall those old faded years. Rock and roll will never die, but those who kept it alive are passing on.
August 05 2009 at 4:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
14 Comments