Billy was the oldest of five kids. Music was encouraged in the home. Billy’s mom was a piano player and fine alto singer. Elementary schools had music lessons available to the students and Billy studied clarinet. In 1962, Billy’s dad, a salesman in the paint business, accepted a job transfer to Oahu, Hawaii. His dad bought all the kids ukuleles and Billy began taking lessons from a neighbor. He used to love to play along with the local Hawaiian music station on the radio. When the Beatles came out, Billy got his first guitar. The family moved back to the mainland to Anaheim, California in 1965.

Billy started his first band, Rebirth, in 1970 with high school friend, David Diggs. They began as a trio with Billy on bass, David on keyboards and drummer Paul Johnson. They later added Beau MacDougall on guitar and Beau’s brother Alex on Latin percussion. Rebirth played all over Southern California at coffee houses, high schools, colleges and churches. Billy wrote his first songs for that group.

In 1972, Billy began his involvement with the ministry of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, whose founding was Pastor Chuck Smith. He joined Country Faith, one of the bands that formed in the wake of the Jesus Movement. The group had the opportunity to travel to England as part of a large Christian festival in London, called “The Festival of Light” with Larry Norman and Cliff Richards.

In 1973, Billy and his friend David Diggs formed the group, Good News, with the great singer/songwriter Erick Nelson. The group started out as a three piece, with the multi-talented David on drums, Erick on piano and Bill on bass. They later added Bob Carlisle on guitar and Yvonne Lewis on vocals. Then David switched over to playing guitar and the group worked with various drummers; Kurt Lofland and John Hernandez, later of “Oingo Boingo” fame. Good News recorded their debut album in 1974.

In 1976, Billy moved to Boulder, Colorado and joined the Richie Furay Band. Richie is one of the pioneers of “folk-rock” and “country-rock”. Founding the Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills and Neil Young and later, Poco with Jim Messina and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles. Richie was a major part of the famous “Laurel Canyon” music community and the scene surrounding the “Troubadour” night club in LA. Billy recorded two albums with Richie, contributing bass, vocals and writing three songs, including the title cut “I Still Have Dreams.”  Background vocals with Timothy B. Schmit (The Eagles) and JD Souther (Songwriter/Eagles). Billy toured and recorded with Richie until 1981. 

Through a friend, bassist David Coy, Billy met Randy Stonehill, Tom Howard, Larry Norman and Mark Heard. He played on a number of their records and toured throughout the U.S. in the late ‘70s and much of the 80’s.  

David Coy also helped him to get a bass gig with Debby Boone, with whom he toured in the summer of ‘79. Debby later recorded several of his songs; “A Little Broken Bread” and “To Every Generation” on her Choose Life record.  

Tom Howard and Billy began a successful songwriting collaboration in 1982, spawning the worship projects; Psalms Alive 1, 2 and 3 and  Words of Worship Series for Maranatha Music. Also, the duo recorded One By One an artist project on Maranatha. 

Billy was a staff songwriter for Maranatha Music for 13 years, penning such well-known songs as; “I Waited For The Lord,” “The Lion And The Lamb,’ “You Sure Have Been Good To Me,’ “I Will Be With You,” and “To Every Generation.”  

Also, for Maranatha, Billy collaborated on a breakthrough project with Lenny Leblanc, Kelly Willard and Rita Baloche entitled Songs From The Red Letters. Songs based on the sayings of Jesus in The New Testament.  Billy’s music found a significant place in the Promise Keepers movement of the 1990’s. 

Pastor Greg Laurie approached Maranatha Music in 1989 about joining forces and doing new worship music for his outreach events. Billy helped compile the songs for a collection called “Praise Band”, fresh, new original praise songs with a rock band flavor. Pastor Greg heard this project and asked Tommy Coomes from Maranatha to put a band together. The result was The Praise Band. This group has been together for more than 30 years, with numerous recordings, now known as The Tommy Coomes Band. Beginning as the worship team for Greg’s Harvest Crusades. 

In 2000 was “Choose Life” was a number one song written by Billy and Steve Wiggins, the lead singer of Big Tent Revival and an accomplished Nashville songwriter. 

On Jesus Music Again Bob Bennett and Billy joined forces to add their unique acoustic stylings to popular songs from the Jesus Movement.  From a Scripture song medley, and gospel favorites to a Bob Dylan standout. 

Billy continues writing new songs, recording and performing.  Working with The Tommy Coomes Band for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse relief organization and Franklin Graham Festivals and Conferences worldwide.  He is also on staff with Harvest Christian Fellowship.  He resides in Southern California.