Billy Earheart
on XK-3c
Southern feel, soul, rhythm and blues, country, rock & roll, greasy honky tonks; these things come to mind when thinking about Grammy and Emmy award winning keyboardist, Billy Earheart. He grew up in Tullahoma, Tennessee (an hour south of Nashville), and from there went to Muscle Shoals, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville and currently in North Mississippi, playing with an impressive list of artists along the way.
Billy is also an original member and still tours with the Amazing Rhythm Aces,and also has played with Hank Williams Jr & the Bama Band (21 years), Al Green, B.B. King, Memphis Slim, Waylon Jennings, Eddie Hinton, Kid Rock, Dickie Betts, Ace Cannon, Gatemouth Brown, Willie Cobbs, Kris Kristofferson, Sammy Hagar, Jimmy Buffet, Glen Frey, Rufus Thomas, Leslie West, Bobby Rush, Don Nix, Mark Muleman Massey and many more.. and also, Billy has played on over 250 different albums..
Musical Highpoints and Awards
Billy won several awards with the Amazing Rhythm Aces. The group was nominated for a Grammy for "Best New Artist" in 1975. They won the Grammy for Country Group in 1976 for their recording of "The End Is Not In Sight". That same year, they won the Cash Box Award for "Best Progressive Group". Other honors with the Aces include several ASCAP awards, as well as receiving the "Key to the City of Memphis" in 1976. The Aces also won a gold record for "Goin South", a double CD compilation of Southern music.
One of Billy's special honors was the proclamation by Shelby County Mayor William Morris of June 28, 1985 as "Billy Earheart Day" in Memphis, Tennessee!
The awards continued with Billy's association with Bocephus. The CMA presented Hank Williams, Jr. and The Bama Band with two video awards: for "My Name is Bocephus" in 1986, and for "Young Country" in 1987. 1989 brought an Emmy for the Rowdy Friends Theme from "Monday Night Football". And in 1989, the documentary and live video featuring Hank Jr. and the band, "Full Access" was certified platinum. Billy also played on the gold records Hank Live, Wild Streak, Greatest hits 3 and America the way I see it. The Bama Band also won the "Lifetime Achievement" award from the Ohio Country Music Association. Billy is a lifetime member of the Country Music Association and the Hank Williams Appreciation Society.
Billy E. has also had the honor of playing for four different presidents: Carter, Clinton, Bush Sr. & George W..
Currently he's playing either a Hammond B3 or XK-3c.
He also has 3 Leslies.