Soul Collection

Billy Price has been thrilling east coast audiences with his brand of rhythm and blues for the past three decades. In his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., he is an institution. Price's popularity isn't hard to explain. As Geoffrey Himes of the Washington Post has written, 'Unlike so many blues revivalists, Price is not an imitation of older, better singers--he's the real thing.' Billy Price first attracted national attention during his three-year association with guitarist Roy Buchanan. Price is the vocalist on two of Buchanan's LPs, That's What I'm Here Forand Livestock. With Buchanan, Price toured the U.S. and Canada, playing such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York, the Newport Jazz Festival, the Roxy and the Troubadour in Los Angeles, and the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Price assembled Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band in 1977. Before their breakup in 1990, the band recorded four critically acclaimed LPs and developed a reputation as one of the most exciting touring bands in the U.S. Price formed The Billy Price Band in 1990. In addition to performing popular songs from Price's years with Buchanan and the Keystone Rhythm Band, the Billy Price Band features new interpretations of blues, R & B, and soul classics. The band currently consists of Lenny Smith (guitar), Willy Franklin (bass), H.B. Bennett (drums), John Burgh (keyboards), Joe Herndon (trumpet), Eric DeFade (tenor sax) and Rick Matt (baritone and tenor sax). In April 1997, Billy Price released The Soul Collection, which featured a duet by Price and his friend and mentor Otis Clay on Clay's 'That's How It Is,' as well as background vocals by veteran Chicago vocalists Theresa Davis (former member of the Emotions), Robin Robinson, and Dianne Madison. In Living Blues (September/October 1997), Bill Dahl called The Soul Collection 'an inspired stroll through the glorious history of soul music [invested with] uncommon passion and authenticity.' In the April 25, 1997 edition of the Washington Post, Mike Joyce called The Soul Collection 'an R & B homage full of revealing and compelling performances...

Price is a terrifically expressive soul singer,' says Joyce, 'one who conveys both the pain and the pleasure in these choice songs.' Can I Change My Mind on Green Dolphin Records was produced in Los Angeles by Jerry 'Swamp Dogg' Williams, who has also produced artists such as Z.Z. Hill, Doris Duke, Irma Thomas, Solomon Burke, Patti LaBelle, Lionel Ritchie, and others. Since it's release in December 1999, Can I Change My Mind has received critical acclaim from publications throughout the world: A sure-fire winner! (Ray Ellis, Juke Blues) ...will please all fans of modern soul and soul blues (Peter R. Aschoff, Living Blues) ...the most imaginative and entertaining record in Billy Price's 30-year musical career (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Price's expressive abilities define the term 'deep soul' (Pittsburgh City Paper). Here is more information about Can I Change My Mind. For articles about Billy Price and more reviews, see our articles and reviews page. Billy Price released a double CD, Sworn Testimony: The Billy Price Band Live, in July 2002. In July 2003, the Billy Price Band gave a critically acclaimed performance at the Belgium Rhythm & Blues Festival in Billy Price's first-ever appearance in Europe. A DVD of the concert, entitled Funky...

Funky Soul!!! was released in late 2003. Billy Price's latest recording (May 2006) is East End Avenue on Bonedog Records, featuring the Billy Price Band on a set of 13 original new songs, including five songs co-written by Price with Jon Tiven. Tiven was the winner of three 2006 Blues Music Awards: Song of the Year for 'Think of Me' by Little Milton, and Album of the Year and Soul Blues Album of the Year for the album of the same name, which Tiven produced. The CD also includes a cover of Dan Penn's 'Faithful and True.'