Billy Forrest - Blue eyes crying in the rain скачать в хорошем качестве

Billy Forrest - Blue eyes crying in the rain

South African artist born William Charles Boardman in Kimberley, South Africa, on 6 June 1940. When he was two years old, the family moved to Johannesburg when his father (an engine driver, also on the famous Blue Train for fifteen years) was promoted and transferred. He attended Melville Primary School, his first two years of high school at Brebner High in Bloemfontein, and then back to Johannesburg where he was enrolled at Roosevelt High School. In the late 1950s he started his first band, The Drifters, and they frequently played at the Braamfontein Social Club. He won his first talent competition at the Bapsfontein Hotel, which later became famous for its Country music shows. In 1959 Mickie Most settled in South Africa from England and The Drifters were invited to appear with Mickey and Gene Vincent at the Springs Town Hall. Billy’s first recording break came in 1960 while he was doing an apprenticeship as a motor and diesel mechanic. An old school friend, Archie van der Ploeg (lead guitar) had put together a band comprising Hank Squires (rhythm guitar), Angelo Avionites (drums), Eddie Burns (bass guitar) and Van Goliath (real name Rudolph van Vuuren – rhythm guitar), and invited Billy to join as vocalist. They were all over six feet tall, so we named themselves The Giants. Their album Meet The Giants was recorded in about 8 hours, and released in 1961. Billy then decided to change his name. He had watched a movie called Jet Storm, featuring Marty Wilde, in which Martie played the part of a rock singer named Billy Forrester. He removed the 'er' and became Billy Forrest. In 1962 he met pianist Archie Silansky who arranged for him to record his first solo album, Come Back To Me, which was released in 1963. Later that year he signed a three year contract with Trutone, changed direction from pop to country music, and had immediate success with covers of popular Jim Reeves, Bill Anderson and Bobby Bare songs. In November 1963 Pieter Toerien invited him to appear with Dickie Loader and The Blue Jeans as supporting act for American pop idol, Johnny Restivo, at the Luxurama Theatre in Wynberg, Cape Town, which turned out to be a huge success. Billy and Dickie Loader then moved on to Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban, playing to capacity houses. At the end of 1964 he had his first hit, Hello Operator, which earned him a Gold Disc, and in 1965 he also received a SARI Award as Best Country and Western Singer. He then started managing groups, including John E. Sharpe and The Squires and Mel, Mel & Julian. In 1966 he teamed up with Billy Andrews, who had left The Staccatos, to form The Dream Merchants. They had several hits, including Love Minus Zero, Land of a 1000 Dances, Let It Be Me, Land of Milk and Honey and The Rattler (written for them by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers). The Dream merchants won a SARI Award for Best Beat Artists in 1966. It was at this time that Billy started using pseudonyms whenever the recording didn’t sound like the Billy Forrest fans had become to know. Over the years he released songs as Quintin E Klopjaeger, Dennis, William E and Candid Camera, and also started singing duets with the likes of Angelika Illman (of the Günter Kallmann Choir, as Geli & Billy), Sharon Tandy, Joanna Field and Sally Vaughn. In the early 1970s he ventured into the emerging Afrikaans market as a solo artist, as well in duets with various Afrikaans singers, including Lisa Robin and Marlene Taljaard. Over the years Billy produced many iconic bands, solo artists, songs and albums, including The Staccatos’ massive hit, Cry To Me, and The Warrior album from Ipi-Tombi. Towards the end of the 1980s he became a member of the hugely popular country group, Over The Hillbillies, with the likes of Lance James, Clive Bruce, Sally Vaughn and Joanna Field. Billy Forrest had 14 South African Top 20 hits as a solo artist, using pseudonyms, and in duet with various other artists (sorted by date): 1. Quentin E Klopjaeger - Lazy life – 1968, #1, 16 weeks 2. Quentin E Klopjaeger - Melody Fayre – 1969, #14, 5 weeks 3. Quentin E Klopjaeger – Abergavenny – 1969, #15, 6 weeks 4. Quentin E Klopjaeger - We're all playing in the same band – 1971, #19, 2 weeks 5. Dennis - Joey the lipstick collector – 1971, #18, 3 weeks 6. William E - Papa's gonna kiss it better – 1971, #8, 10 weeks 7. Sharon Tandy & Billy Forrest - Hello-a – 1972, #5, 13 weeks 8. William E - Lovely Lorraine – 1972, #20, 2 weeks 9. Geli & Billy - Do you love me – 1973, #2, 17 weeks 10. Billy Forrest - Liefde is my nooi se naam – 1974, #19, 3 weeks 11. Geli & Billy - Hazy hazy (crazy crazy) – 1974, #18, 4 weeks 12. Billy Forrest - Our sweet precious love – 1976, #9, 11 weeks 13. Billy Forrest - She can't say that anymore – 1982, #5, 15 weeks 14. Billy Forrest - I loved 'em everyone – 1983, #17, 6 weeks Billy lives in Johannesburg and still performs to this day. This song was released on 7" single in 1981.