Uploaded by eskay67 on Feb 16, 2008
Billy Griffin is sometimes thought of as 'just the singer that replaced Smokey Robinson in The Miracles'.
There is no doubting, however, that he is a fine singer in his own right.
He auditioned for Motown in Los Angeles in the early 70's and became the lead singer with The Miracles in 1971.
Billy sang with such groups as Last Dynasty, before eventually joining the Miracles.
Replacing Smokey Robinson, Billy was not a professional singer, and many doubted his longevity with the group.
In 1975, the Miracles released the album, 'City Of Angels', featuring the multi million selling 'Love Machine' (U.K. Top 5 in 1976).
Billy and The Miracles scored two instant gold 45's, a platinum single, one gold album and one platinum LP.
The soul opera 'City Of Angels' was written and performed by Billy.
Popular on the U.K. club circuit was the track 'Ain't Nobody Straight in L.A.'
'City Of Angels' became one of Motown Records most successful albums.
'Power To The Music' (released in 1977) was the last Miracles album on Motown before the group switched to CBS before later going their separate ways.
In 1983, Billy signed to CBS, as a solo artist, and worked with writer / producer John Barnes on 'Be With Me'.
The album included the U.K. Top 20 hit, 'Hold Me Tighter In The Rain'.
That top twenty hit earned him the English 'Silver Record Award' comparable to the Gold Record in the United States.
Following that outing, Billy returned to the studio for 'Respect' (1983), which included the U.K. Top 75 hit, 'Serious'.
His final CBS 1985 album, 'Systematic', was co-produced by Leon Ware and Wayne Lewis.
In 1986, he switched labels to Atlantic and released the single 'Believe It Or Not'.
An album was recorded, but did not materialize due to differences of opinion with the label.
Instead Billy sang backgrounds with artists including Rodney Franklin ('Women Of The World'), Gerald Albright and Teena Marle before recording for the U.K. Motorcity label from 1989.
In 1990, Billy co-produced fifty-two Motown artists along with English producer Ian Levine.
Their collaborative work in a 'reunion' series of videos, LPs and CD's featuring The Originals, The Fantastic Four, Lamont Dozier, Edwin Starr and The Supremes .
Here his debut single was 'First In Line', co-written and produced by Levine.
Billy has also had an acting career in a few American soap operas.
In 1996, Billy and Ian Levine worked together again for 'The Best of Billy Griffin', which was released by the Miami-based Hot Productions.
Billy worked alongside Levine in the early days with the UK 'boy band' Take That, as a producer.
Additionally, Billy teamed up again with jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright for his debut album, whilst guest-starring on the debut solo project of Japanese jazz drummer Akiro Jimbo of Cassiopea.
The collaboration with Jimbo also resulted in a Gold Album and introduced Akiro to the American Smooth Jazz market.
Billy's rendition of 'Olivia' placed Akiro's album at the top of the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for four weeks.
Billy's music has been heard in various movies such as 'Chicken Run', 'BAPS', 'Donnie Brasco', 'Be Be's Kids', as well as Fox TV's 'Ally McBeal' and NBC's 'Friends'.
Billy worked in Sweden, at the start of the new millennium, developing projects for his multi-media company Blitz Inc.
A new album is in the offing, along with a future re-release of his 1986 single 'Believe It Or Not'.
Link to this comment:
32 videos
YouTube Mix for Billy Griffin
6:33RODNEY FRANKLIN - YOU'LL NEVER KNOWby Andreasus4thdj64,331 views
- 3:51Minnie Riperton - If I Ever Lose This Heavenby ohd00bley266,475 views
- 5:24Billy Griffin Hold Me Tight In The Rainby TheLPACHArquivoz903 views
- 1:29Sararetha King - I Love You For All Seasonsby eskay67293 views
- 5:04Billy Griffin- Seriousby heyroz2754,660 views
- 4:59Billy Griffin - Seriousby 2Steppa212,624 views
- 5:14Billy Griffin - Don't Ask Me To Be Friends (1983)by veewee36,830 views
- 5:36The MIRACLES - Love Machine/Do It Babyby ivyfield142,109 views
- 5:57Billy Griffin - 2nd Day Love Storyby chosen16O14,406 views
- 4:43Billy Griffin - All The Way To Loveby funkyblack27877 views
- 5:20Billy Griffin "Hold Me Tighter In The Rain" (1982)by rovingeye211,388 views
- 5:26Billy Griffin - Romantic numberby fellovergen4,839 views
- 2:55The Miracles Featuring Billy Griffin: "Do It Ba...by ChannelBelongs2Scott20,127 views
- 5:42Hold Me Tighter In The Rain - Billy Griffin (12...by fastflyer200741,135 views
- 3:59Billy Griffin-Hold Me Tighter in the Rain (1982)by SoulFunkMonster41,190 views
- 5:49billy griffin love is not a wordby fellovergen927 views
- 4:11Billy griffin - weakby inmate851,951 views
- 3:36Bobby Cutchins - I Did It Againby jimhebsoul16,392 views
- 5:20Billy Griffin - Understandby Tom30304,591 views
LOVE IT
summerbabetoo 10 months ago
Oh, man !
This is real music ...
SPECTRE1961 1 year ago
Back in the day, I heard this song and loved it so much I taped it while it was playing on the radio (before MP3, lol). Sadly, I never knew who the artist was, but the song stayed in my head for years. So glad to finally know that it was Billy Griffin. I never even knew he went solo. Now I can look for more of his songs!
kuddyLeRoc 1 year ago
Im Just 15 yrs old and i love dis tunne i get from ma mum she love rare groove
DonDreamer94 2 years ago
wow
denitawc 2 years ago
"BE WITH ME" 1982 CBS
beatchemist2004 2 years ago
Memories matey !
bootsamou 2 years ago
Love the song and the Pic Billy!! XX
shallwe08 2 years ago
If don't score or never did when this was new, you weren't livin'or lovin'
TheHop 3 years ago
OH MY GOD!!! I'm can't believe I'm hearing this again!!
korstates 3 years ago