Shoals Chamber Presents Billy Lawson of Wishbone Studios

Billy Lawson was born and raised in the Muscle Shoals area of Northwest Alabama in a little town called Zip City. His next door neighbor was studio musician, Junior Lowe, who played on some of the early R&B classics by artists such as Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Clarence Carter and Aretha Franklin. When Billy was nine or ten years old, Junior would let him sit in and sing with his band at the Ponderosa Club on the Alabama-Tennessee state line.

After high school Billy started working the Alabama-Tennessee state line club and dance hall circuit with his band. One night Larry Hamby, a CBS representative, came to a Muscle Shoals club and signed Billy “on the spot” to an album deal on Epic records.

A Muscle Shoals film maker, Tonya Holley, was casting for Orion Pictures. She had Billy to come down and audition in Selma, AL, for an up-coming movie starring Jessica Lange, Tommy Lee Jones and Powers Boothe. Billy and his band got the part and Jessica Lange got an Oscar for best actress in “Blue Sky.”

Billy continued to write songs--songs that were good enough to get the attention of Sony/Tree publisher and producer, Don Cook. Don signed him one week and by the next week, Billy had cuts on three major artists. Within a little over a year Billy had two..#1 hits...”Learning As you Go” by Rick Trevino and “I Left Something Turned On At Home” by Trace Adkins also “Irresistible You” A..#20 by Ty England. Billy's song "He Ain't Even Cold Yet" recorded by Gretchen Wilson and played in an episode of HBO's The Sopranos.

Billy's songs have been recorded by T.G. Sheppard, Lonestar, Lee Ann Womack, Shenandoah, Delbert McClinton, Confederate Railroad, George Strait, Sammy Kershaw, Lori Morgan, Tim McGraw, Travis Tritt, Charley Pride, Oak Ridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton and many more.

You're sure to have a great time with us on August 2. 6:00-8:00 PM. Come out of the heat and join us at one the of coolest venues around, the Shoals Gold Record Room!

This is a come and go event so stay for the show or stay while you can!

FREE ADMISSION | FAMILY FRIENDLY

This event sponsored in part by the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area.*