Musician Billy Sheehan: biography, creativity and interesting facts

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Billy Sheehan approached the choice of professional sphere with enthusiasm. When he first heard the live performance of the Beatles and the squeals of thousands of enthusiastic fans, he realized that he wanted such a job! Since then, he has never stopped learning and practicing. Now he is a world-famous rock musician who masterfully owns a bass guitar.

Billy Sheehan Biography

19 March celebrates his birthday American bass player Sheehan, who in 1953 made his parents happy with his birth. The musician's hometown is Bufalo, New York.

Parents did not share their son's musical hobbies, but this did not stop him from going his own way. The first instrument that Billy Sheehan came into contact with was a drum kit. According to him, it turned out to be quite an interesting beat.

A band was rehearsing somewhere near Billy's house. To his room came the sounds of bass - long, powerful, low - which seemed especially attractive to the future rock musician. It was they who inspired him to play the bass guitar.

The widely known part of Billy Sheehan's biography concerns mainly his creative path. The book Ultimate Billy Sheehan was released by a Japanese company. It contains a collection of photos and interviews of the musician.

Billy Sheehan: rock musician

Sheehan did not receive a classical musical education. He honed his technique, developed his skills, playing in one or another amateur teams.

According to the musician, he usually improvises: "When I create, I first start just playing. Then some thoughts, ideas appear, and then the hands do something by themselves. And then it turns out that it's a three-finger game."

In 1972, Billy Sheehan's work moves from amateur to professional. He founded the Talas group, which became very popular. Since its collapse, the musician has been involved in various bands such as David Lee Roth's Band, Mr. Big, Niacin, G3.

April 25, 2001 Billy Sheehan's solo album Compression was released. The Chameleon track features Steve Vai, a former member of David Lee Roth's Band. And in 2012, the bass player joined the new rock band The Winery Dogs.

David Lee Roth's Band

Almost at the same time, three different musical groups - Talas, Van Halen and Alcatrazz - left three talented guys: Billy Sheehan, David Lee Roth and Steve Vai. A similar set of circumstances contributed to the fact that one of them, namely David Lee Roth, proposedtwo other musicians to work together.

As a result, in 1985, a rock and roll group called David Lee Roth's Band was formed and the inimitable duet Wai-Shiheng was born: guitar and bass. They often synced complex bass lines along with the guitar solo, for example on songs like Shyboy and Elephant Gun.

During the time that Shihan was involved in the team, the group released many popular songs and albums, two of which received not even gold, but platinum status - Eat'Em and Smile and Skyscraper. In 1988, he left this project and started a new one.

Mr. Big

In 1988, with the support of Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records, Billy Sheehan began to form a new band. He invited the virtuoso, talented guitarist Paul Gilbert, drummer Pat Torpey and vocalist Eric Martin. This is how the hard rock band Mr. big. Herbie Herbert was chosen as manager. By 1989, they signed with Atlantic Records and released their debut album, Mr. Big.

The second album Lean Into It was released in 1991 and became a major commercial breakthrough. The compositions To be with you and Just Take my hart became hits, with the first of them occupying the top line of the top charts in 15 countries around the world. The clips for these tracks did not leave the TV screens. Popularity Big continued to grow, especially in Japan and much of Asia.

In 1997, Paul Gilbert left the band. He was replaced by guitarist Richie Kotzen. A little later when Shihanbegan touring with Steve Vai, tensions arose in relations with other members of the team. Subsequently, this led to the breakup of the group.

However, much to the delight of Mr. Big, there have been several temporary reunions of the original team members. The musicians made this decision after their performance on May 3, 2008 in Los Angeles at the House of Blues, when Billy Sheehan, Richie Kotzen and Pat Torpey joined Paul Gilbert on stage.

In 2009, a reunion of the original Mr. big. Thus, the musicians celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album. The team toured several countries. They recorded their seventh album in September 2010 and toured in support of it in 2011.

The Winery Dogs

In 2012, three established musicians - bassist Billy Sheehan, guitarist Richie Kotzen and drummer Mike Portnoy formed The Winery Dogs. This is a new American popular rock band. Its distinctive feature is that all participants sing.

Translated into Russian, the band's name means "Wine Dogs". Once upon a time in America, this was the name of dogs that were bred to protect vineyards from wild animals. There is a certain symbolism in this. The band members say they "preserve classic rock music the way those dogs did the vineyards."

In July 2013, the musicians released their debut album called The Winery Dogs. Secondtheir album - Hot Streak was released in October 2015.

In 2014, The Winery Dogs team founded the Dog Camp to provide musicians with inspirational, interactive communication, exchange of experience and ideas. The program includes: concerts, master classes, seminars. Events are held in scenic surroundings at the year-round mountain resort Full Moon Resort, located an hour and a half west of Woodstock, New York.

Cooperation with Yamaha Corporation

Yamaha is one of the most diversified companies in Japan, offering a wide range of products and services. The company released its first acoustic guitar in 1942, its first solid body guitar in 1965, and its first bass guitar in 1966.

In the 1980s, Yamaha Corporation opened a guitar factory in North Hollywood, California that collaborated with professional guitarists to develop their products. Collaboration with Billy Sheehan began in 1984.

The BB3000 was the first tool offered to him by the corporation in 1985. The bass was very good, but the discerning musician had ideas to improve it. Therefore, together with a Yamaha engineer, they set about creating a new one - Attitude. Billy Sheehan has been involved in the development of the famous signature Attitude II/III series and the BB714BS model during a long collaboration.

Recognition and awards for outstanding bass player

Billy Sheehan awardedmany honors and awards. According to readers' polls, he was recognized as the best rock bass player 5 times in Guitar Player magazines, repeatedly ranked first in such ratings in Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy and other countries. In addition, he topped Japan's most popular music-themed Player Magazine for 14 consecutive years. And on January 27, 1999, his prints and signature were preserved in cement at the Hollywood Rockwalk at Guitar Center.

Billy Sheehan is a versatile person: he takes part in the design of bass guitars, plays them masterfully, sings, shares his knowledge and experience. In one of his interviews, he said: "I would like to inspire people with my music in the same way that the music of other artists inspires me." And this is exactly what has been happening for many years now. Perhaps this is the greatest reward for him.