Legends celebrates Billy Thomas, incredible drummer of McBride and The Ride with the debut of their new EP Amarillo Sky.
Billy was the drummer for The Hudson Brothers Band, then with Ricky Nelson. Next, he played behind the one and only Mac Davis for his shows in Vegas. Mac Davis was Billy's first taste of Urban Country.
The Cinderella story continued. After moving to Nashville in 1987, he got his first job within the first few days after auditioning with Vince Gill.
And then he performed on Emily Lou Harris' album Blue, followed by work with Marty Stuart.
Hear Billy's inside story on Tony Brown, the kingpin for MCA Records, his music producer, and former pianist for Elvis.
Tony brought Terry McBride and Ray Herdon together for the three part harmony of McBride and The Ride.
They produced five albums from 1989 through 1995. And the rest is history for this SINGING DRUMMER.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/legends-extraordinary-lives--5351541/support.
Billy was the drummer for The Hudson Brothers Band, then with Ricky Nelson. Next, he played behind the one and only Mac Davis for his shows in Vegas. Mac Davis was Billy's first taste of Urban Country.
The Cinderella story continued. After moving to Nashville in 1987, he got his first job within the first few days after auditioning with Vince Gill.
And then he performed on Emily Lou Harris' album Blue, followed by work with Marty Stuart.
Hear Billy's inside story on Tony Brown, the kingpin for MCA Records, his music producer, and former pianist for Elvis.
Tony brought Terry McBride and Ray Herdon together for the three part harmony of McBride and The Ride.
They produced five albums from 1989 through 1995. And the rest is history for this SINGING DRUMMER.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/legends-extraordinary-lives--5351541/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
He just takes a tractor. Anotherround blows found ron ground sounds up another
where he says a lot of God. I never ask why he's done.
My friends run by Mony, Honny, this Amarda. Hey, welcome back
(00:29):
to success made the last Legends.I'm Rick Tokeenney. This afternoon has been
devoted to interviewing everybody in McBride andthe Ride and we are finishing off install
with the drummer and vocalist Billy Thomasand uh it, Billy. It is
(00:49):
an honor to get to honor youtoday on Legends. Hey, thank you,
Rick. It's really good to behere and it's a it's a great
cause for reading the word about newstuff going on with our band. You
know, we've been doing stuff someon the side, you know, and
you know, as you know,I'm sure you've heard from the other fellows
(01:11):
that we have taken time off andthen we've come back together before. But
this is a this is really aspecial proud project this time around. In
twenty twenty three we did a liveEP called called Marlborough's and Avon and that
(01:32):
was really cool. We did that. That was a studio record. This
time we kind of we're taking achance, and we went out to Ray
Herndon's club, handle Barjay and recordedlive out there, and we're making a
live EP. I mean, Iwas just in listening to Terry play bass
yesterday and then in the studio withthat, and my tracks are basically done
(01:53):
because I can't change any stuff,you know, So we're trying to sweepen
a little bit of stuff here andthere. But uh, it's gonna be.
It's gonna be a new extension forthe three of us, really will
be. And I imagine it's gonnabe five or six of a handful of
our of our songs that we alllove. Some of them everybody's gonna know,
in fact, most all of themeverybody's going to know from us.
(02:15):
So yeah, it is great.I was listening to Ambrello Sky this morning
on top of some others. Anythingthat touches oh my gosh, yes,
anything else touches you seems sure feelslike it. Uh, these are great
songs. Love. I love thethe dance song you Take My Heart.
(02:39):
Oh my gosh, man, goodgood drumming beat. And I said,
I mean, I can't wait toBilly because that is the my wife's my
wife and I still dance after fiftyyears of knowing each other. So oh,
that's sweet. Always looking for gooddancing. Okay, let's start with
your kind of with your back.I want to know where you're from originally,
(03:00):
and I'd love to know about yourentire music journey. Well, I
really started playing drums at age eleven, and before that, I was actually
my family told me I was singingon a rocking horse. So I started
singing really early, and and mybrother had an old Leady and Ludwig drum
(03:24):
set up in the attic of ourhouse. I'm from Fort Myers, Florida,
and I decided I would I wouldtake it down. He was a
sports guy and wasn't using it.So I tried taking it down, and
I showed enough merit playing it thatmy dad wanted me to. He would
(03:45):
go out and buy me in kindof a drum at a time and help
me build these put a drum settogether and make it work. And then
in sixth grade, back then wehad we had junior high school. We
didn't that middle school. He hadjunior high school in Florida, And I
actually won a talent contest in thesixth grade and Because of that, a
(04:09):
band director took an interest in me, and I got into junior high band
really early, into the drump sowith that, and I kind of was
okay at it. I wasn't greatat percussion really and all that stuff.
I wanted to play the drum set. And then also I saw Ringo Starr
(04:30):
and that kind of changed me reallyand showed me this is what I this
is what I want to do.I loved the Beatles music and I loved
early rock, and so I playedall around Fort Myers and then all around
Florida. There were clubs to playall along each coastline. And then I
(04:50):
had a friend talk me into goingto California with him and we went out
as a trio, and luckily Iwas married at the time, and lucky
my wife got work out and wewent up to Marina del Ray, California
and tried out and we were arock trio, kind of like the Cream
(05:11):
or Jimmy Hendrix, those kind ofthings. Anyways, we didn't we after
three weeks, we lost our gig, and luckily she was able to work
for us and keep us afloat.But sooner or later we went back drifted
back to Florida, and I playedin a disco band, a horn band
for about about a year and ahalf or so, and then I said,
(05:32):
I can't do Florida anymore. I'mgonna let's go back out to California.
I said, I'm prepared to dowhatever I can, and so I
worked side jobs for a while,some of them pretty crazy, but I
finally got I finally passed an auditionout there and got with a group called
the Hudson Brothers and they had theyhad a show early on called Razzle Dazzle
(05:59):
on Saturday morning. They were kindof like a monkey's kind of deal,
but three brothers. And because ofthat, I said, I started flying
and I said, okay, thisis the way to travel. There's somebody
helping me set up my drums.I said, I'm not going to stop
doing this. I'll work as hardas I can to keep on playing drums.
(06:19):
And I did, and so Iwent from them to Ricky Nelson.
I played with Ricky Nelson for awhile and then I got a job with
Mac Davis, the singer songwriter whowas first my first real taste of country.
Rick did a little bit of likeCalifornia country, but Mac Davis was
(06:41):
deep in it at that time,more urban country, and I played a
bunch of years with him in LasVegas. And then I had a couple
friends here in Nashville, and itwas nineteen eighty six, going on eighty
seven, and I called these guysand one of them was really doing well,
(07:01):
was quite successful here in Nashville.He had started producing quite a bit.
His name was Richard Bennett. Hewas a friend, and when I
came down, he let me stayand do an exploratory trip, and so
I moved. I said, wegot to do this. I like the
feel of this place. I don'thave much going but my wife and I
were originally from Fort Myers, Florida, so we wanted to get the kids
(07:26):
one out of Los Angeles school systemsat that time, because it was starting
to look a little shaky out therein public schools for what we wanted.
So we moved here. And you'renot going to believe this, right that.
I before I could even get myfurniture here, it was packed and
(07:47):
on a truck. Here. Igot my first job, and it was
singing, and I went to astudio and it was for a custom label
deal and it was with this guy, Vince Gill, who I had heard
on record. We sang together fortwo days and he said, do you
(08:07):
play any instruments? And I saidyeah, I played drums. And he
said, well, I'd love tocome on over to the house and let's
check you out. I love theway you're saying. We get along grade
and I started playing with him andI walked in. It's like a Cinderella
story. And then right after that, my furniture arrived in Green Hills,
Tennessee, which is just south ofwhere I am now, and I've been
(08:31):
basically here ever since. And thatwas nineteen eighty seven when I moved here,
so different day and age from Nashville. Oh. Completely, there were
a lot more doors open, therewere there are people you could walk in.
I was interested in writing songs.I was interested in learning about the
(08:52):
soul of country music and how itwas approached, especially on the drums.
And I wanted to learn how to. I wanted to learn more about three
chords in the truth, and soI started doing that. I started,
uh making making sure that that Ilearned how to play those certain beats that
(09:16):
that tugged at my heart and madethose songs roll along and yet stayed out
of the way in the background.And so I was working on an album.
I worked on two albums with thisguy Tony Brown, and one of
them was marb was was Marty Stewart'sHillbilly Rock, and so I played on
(09:37):
all of that album, and thenI was playing with I got a chance
to play on Emmy Lou Harris's albumBlue Blue, and so I went and
uh and played on that. Andbecause of that, I got to know
that this guy Tony Brown was thekingpin with that here in town with MCA
(09:58):
Records here for he was producing GeorgeStraight, Vince gill reba uh why nonah.
The list goes on and on,and he was the vice president of
m c A at that time.And so I was sitting and he was
taking notice of me. I wassinging on Vincent's records at that time.
(10:20):
I sang on Eliza Jane and whatthe Cowgirls Do? I still believe in
you. When love calls my lovecalls your name, it's it's it was.
It was just I was pinching myselfconstantly, and so it was just
one of those real fertile times forme, and I walked into it Billy.
(10:41):
Did you realize that at the timethat there were so few number of
singing drummers. Yes, and thatyou know, in our day and age,
Karen Carpenter was a standout, notonly a female, but a great
drummer. But then Phil Collins comesalong. But Don Henley, I mean
(11:01):
who you were, you were ina handful, yes, evil. And
when I moved here, there wasone other guy that and I'm still great
friends with. His name was HarryStenson. He now plays with the Fabulous
Superlatives with with Marty Stewart. Andhe's a wonderful player and a wonderful singer,
and so we we in fact,we sang together out in Los Angeles
(11:22):
before I ever moved here. Andso with with that in mind, with
with having a dual threat, soto speak, I walked into some things
I never thought I would walk into. And it's been it's been a wonderful
(11:43):
experience and keeps on giving. SoI'll get onto too. With Tony Brown.
Tony decided that he was going totry something. He had enough credibility
to feel like he could bring aproject and a band to MCA Records at
the time, and so he said, he called me one day and he
(12:05):
said, Billy, he said,I've got this, Billy. I've got
this guy and his name name's TerryMcBrien and he's a songwriter down in Texas.
And he said he's been writing thesesongs I want you to check out.
I'm going to send you a cassetteand there were I believe five songs
on it, and all of themwere strong, and he said, I
(12:28):
want you to check it out.And there's this guy named Ray Herndon and
he plays with Lyle Lovett, andso I just went, this is this
is too cool to be true.I said, Tony, if you're involved,
I want to be involved. Youknow. It was that cool,
and so he put us all.We all agreed, obviously, and he
(12:50):
put us all in the room atsi R, which is a rehearsal studio
up here, and we started playingthese songs and they were all five terries
I think or six, I can'tremember exactly. And then he said,
I'm going to invite some people downhere. I want some people to see
you. So he brought more peopledown to see us, and he realized
(13:11):
that the harmonies, the musicianship waswhat he put us together for. But
then he realized there was this naturalharmony that took place, and the sound
of the vocals was a wonderful god. So we just kind of naturally picked
our parts. I sing hi,racing's low. He's a baritone. I'm
(13:35):
a tenor. Terry's a tenor butsings more melody. I sing above him,
and so everything just fit. Andwe had a steel player at the
time, a guy named Steve Fischel, who kind of opted to step back
from the band and produced. Heco produced with Tony the first album,
(13:56):
and then he didn't want to traveland do all that stuff, so we
decided we would go on as atrio and so it was called McBride and
the Ride, and so that's howwe did it. We started out as
a group called Wild Horses, andthen we found out there was a band
that had the same name and theywanted a lot of money. They had
a trademark, you know, andit was an attorney that had it trademark.
(14:18):
So we just from there. Wejust said there's no turning back,
and we had we had the muscleof a huge successful record label behind us
at that time, and so wejust didn't stop. We never looked back.
We pushed and pushed and pushed andmade big strides in about two years
(14:39):
and we were together four five albumseighty seven to No. Eighty nine excuse
me, eighty nine to ninety five, something like that. And then we
just banned for a while and thenwe came back together. Terry tried some
(15:01):
stuff on his own and then hedecided we'll just kick back. It didn't
work the same, and then wegot together and tried something. In two
thousand and two, I believe weput together. We did a song an
album called Amarillo Sky and that wasco or that was produced by us and
(15:22):
Matt Rawlings, and we had somewonderful stuff on it, but it didn't
It just didn't cut. The labeldidn't think it was as wonderful as we
did, and so they put outa couple of things, but they just
didn't. It didn't work at thattime. And also radio was trying to
figure itself out in two thousand andtwo, and so we was Ray that
(15:46):
so Ray had called me about tryingto put He wanted to put the band
together. He and Terry had gottentogether out where he lives, and they
loved the way it sounded, andthey said we got to try and see
if we can get the original bandback together. So we all got a
room together and said, well,the vocals sound great, these songs are
so easy to play. We wefound out that through social media we had
(16:10):
a whole bunch of listeners that stillwanted to hear what we did. So
we went out there and first thingwe said is is you know we're going
to try and do this. Weplayed some live gigs and we said,
well, you know what, let'schip in some money. Let's see what
we can do. Let's put usout an EP and see what happens.
And the EP we had Emoralless Guywas called Emery Less Guy Again, and
(16:34):
it was, uh, it wasgreat. It was it was a fun,
refreshing thing to get back in thestudio and and we hadn't lost anything,
you know. Still it's it's threeguys that that we still like the
same nineties country music and so that'sthat was a testimony to that. So
that's what we did. The thebrilliance of a three part harmony is something
(17:00):
that so many Country Western singers thatthey don't get it. They don't understand
it. When you when you thinkabout the great three part harmony bands in
our lifetime besides yours, who elsecomes to mind. You're not going to
believe this, but when I heardAll the Gold in California, Yes,
(17:23):
sir, that's the deal. Thatwas the same thing. That's the same
thing as the Everly Brothers was tome way way back when, you know.
And then there was a band noneof you people would know, but
Three Dog Knight these people, andI wasn't. I don't think Tony was
trying to do a three a harmonyband, and so three Dog Knight or
(17:48):
you know, any of these harmonybands take a chorus and naturally make it
a chorus of singing. I mean, you can have a guy sing a
melody and he can do it,but if you add harmonies to it,
to me, that's the stuff thattugs at my heart because it makes a
statement, it takes it makes whatwe call the music terms, a triad
(18:12):
out of a melody you note andthat moves, and that's always excited me.
When I was a child, myfamily would go out fishing in Florida
and fishing in the middle of thenight. We didn't have to see each
other anything. We'd all be holdingpolls and we'd be singing songs, family
songs that all of the family grewup singing. And that's where I learned
(18:33):
harmony. And I called everybody thatI'm just told. It was a wonderful
place for me to learn how tomake mistakes, to get corrected, to
hear the textures that happen, andtry and blend myself. So all of
that was natural, and I lovedoing it. I love to I hear
(18:53):
harmonies very naturally with chords, andso I've made a pretty darn good living
here in Nashville make doing that,you know so, And I guess to
answer your question when it comes sonaturally with two other voices like Terry and
Ray, it's easy. It's likeit's like getting back on a bicycle.
(19:18):
Whatever songs Terry decides he wants tosing lead on those. Once we get
them, it's instantaneous. We canrun a chorus two or three times and
we've got Ray's really good at itas well, so is Terry. I
mean, he's saying backgrounds with Brooksand done while he played bass with him.
So but then he realized Billy singspretty high because he had to start
(19:42):
singing the high parts above Ronnie aboutthere. So I had to pull my
pants up a little tighter. Sobut Billy, let's talk shop. Now.
When you are on a drum kitand you doing four different things already,
(20:03):
what is it about your brain thatkicks in so you can actually listen,
harmonize and then do the other fourparts of a drummer. I think
it happened because when I was learningdrums and I already felt like I knew
(20:25):
how to sing pretty well as achild, Yep, I was asked to
sing a lot, and so Isang a lot of leads in a couple
of the very first bands I playedin, and that made me realize to
sing lead, I've got to payattention to phrasing and I've got to know
(20:48):
lyrics as well as keeping the beat, and so there was a there was
a balance there. It's not aneasy thing to do, but the more
you do it, it's like rubbingyour head and pat your belly, you
know, and it cos it becomeseasier and easier, so you say,
and well, I'm just saying it'sone of those things. It's like I
(21:14):
thought, playing bass and singing againsta bassline is really hard. Terry turns
around and said, no, drumsare harder, and I went, I
don't know anything about that. Youknow, we look at each other and
talk about that a lot. Youknow. Yeah, I want you to
give me one little short story onthis producer you had named Tony Brown who
(21:41):
brought you guys together, because itwas brought up earlier that this is the
Tony Brown, as in the pianoplayer behind Elvis Presley, So behind one
one memorable story about Tony Brown otherthan you know, the one that you
just talked. Told us that thatmight be of interest to our listening audience
(22:03):
as still Elvis fans and frequency Elvisfans. Well, there are naturally gifted
people. And the more I gotaround when I first got here, the
magnitude I couldn't see the magnitude ofhis talent until I saw how he cast
(22:26):
people as a producer, how hebrought them together and knew what elements to
bring together. Let's say, youknow, like baking a pie, not
all the time. Can you puttogether people and have them make music together
(22:47):
that feels good and that can makesomething you want to promote, you know,
and something that we call successful here. And he had a knack for
doing that. He also knew whento reel some players back in and go
no, no, no, you'retaking this song too far away from where
(23:11):
the seed of the song is.He was really good about grabbing your ear
and going, Okay, come onback, come on back here, or
you know, you need to stepthis up. Can you make this a
little peppier? Can you make this? He was He was pretty uh unlimited
(23:33):
about his vocabulary musical vocabulary, andabout what he could, what do,
he what he expected out of people, and he respected them to be around
them. And so you you feltwith this guy and his credibility when he
said he liked what you played,and he's, man, I think is
(23:53):
great. He had a he hada real still does he's he's a funny
guy, you know, and hehad and he was he he would do
a little bit of a little bitof Elvis moves once in a while.
You couldn't coax him to do muchanything, you know, really and that
in that regard, he was prettyguarded about it, and we kind of
(24:15):
we kind of called that are hisprevious life. But he actually sat down
and played piano with us a coupleof times, not not on record.
I don't think, but but heplayed with us live one time, I
think. And he's still a wonderfulplayer, and you know, he had
I don't know how long it's beensince he's played, but he's a he's
(24:36):
one of those true testaments of hecame from a gospel thing and then Elvis
started working with Elvis and and broughtgospel along with some other players Emery Gordy,
Larry London or Ronnie Tutt, thesekind of players went with him and
made that live show out out ofthe Hilton Las Vegas. They made that
(25:00):
killed it, you know, alongwith the Sweet Inspirations and whomever else was
there. You know. So thisis a next question is sort of a
silly question, but you've you haveworked with, collaborated with, sung with
some of my heroes, and VinceGill stands out in my life along with
(25:26):
Amy Grant is too fabulous solid rockpeople. What's it like to be out
there with household names and they maynot be your hero, but to be
in their presence and to see themjust as normal people but also as giants
(25:48):
of our industry. First of all, Vince Gill and I became really good
friends. And because of that hasstayed that way. He is a solid
person, and I mean solid tothe fact that he didn't change his phone
number from the time I met himtill about early two thousands, so eighty
(26:12):
seven to two thousand, fifteen years. Let's say he had the same phone
number here. Meanwhile, he's hadthis meteoric you know rise success in country,
and he it was amazing. Hestayed, He stayed the same.
Then he married her and I gotto I got to meet her, and
(26:33):
I went, this is the samekind of person. These people are sweet,
they're they're sweet on each other,they're they're just wonderful people to have
in my life. And every timeI'm around each of them, I learned
a little something, you know.And and as for their talent, they
(26:59):
each support one another. Uh,they each allow each other, you know
what it takes them to satisize themselvesin previous They both work, they both
still work a lot, and theysupport one another with it. And I
just I told him, I said, I want to love like that,
(27:19):
you know what you have. Ihad gone through a divorce, was going
through and so he said, here, if you want. He gave me
a number, put it in myhand, and I went and he said,
check this woman out. He wasmatchmaking. He said, here's the
number. If you want to justgo out and laugh and have fun,
(27:42):
I have a person for you.I'd like you just to go out and
just have fun with her. AndI did and I've been married to her
now seventeen years. Bravo. Sohe's not a bad matchmaker. Also,
if you know what I'm saying,he's a powerful player in your then he's
the one who who is injecting alittle bit of happiness every day. Oh,
(28:04):
he's He's just he is the mostnaturally talented, liked, all around
talented person I've ever met in mylife. My father was incredibly well talented,
rounded talent, but Evince between sports, music, he is just incredible.
(28:25):
And it's all a gift. Itjust rolls and comes through him,
you know, it's really it's anamazing thing. He's got an amazing gift
and he's a he's a pleasure tobe around as well, you know,
So please tell him that he isone of my heroes. I will do
that, Rick, I'll tell you, Billy, Billy. We're going to
wrap up today's show. This isa this is a real simple platform that
(28:48):
we have to end shows. Wewant you to say anything you ever wanted
to say to your audience out thereand do it over the last several minutes
of this show. So all rightwith the stage, I would say.
My first thought is we have somethingspecial to share with you. This is
(29:08):
the first time we've ever tried tocapture our band and we did. I
think we succeeded at it. Wehave a live presentation and we can't wait
to share a lot of songs likethe Let's See What's on this god Lee,
Love on the Loose, Heart onthe Run, and Morello Sky No
(29:33):
More Crying. These are songs andthey're all done live and we I just
can't wait. It's an exciting timefor the band, and we'll also be
out there visiting you throughout the summer. And thank you for staying with us,
really sincerely, thank you. We'vegot devoted fans who have been there
for a long long time and theystill come out and it's much appreciate it
(29:56):
from all three of us. Well, that was great. I appreciate how
you express that. They are McBrideand the Ride and he is the one
and only Billy Thomas, and heis a rare bird because he sings beautifully,
plays beautiful drums, and I swearyou're you may be just a handful
(30:18):
of talented people that God has pickedout to say, hey, do a
fifth thing, sing and play drums. Well, thank you for that.
And like I said, for me, it's kind of like getting on a
bicycle. You know, I've beendoing it long enough to where everything's comfortable
and I appreciate it coming from you. And I know you're a drummer.
(30:44):
Uh, that's important to hear this. So it's sures. Well, congratulations
to you, and all of ourbest to you and your family, and
thanks again, and folks, aswe usually wrap up, it's we want
to say we wish you success,but on your way to significance, have
great day. Goes all those dropsevery suddenly sun is shining night. No,
(31:15):
you know the way, girl,you take my heart there every day
He just takes a tractor. Anotherround blows found ron ground sounds up another
where he says a lot of God. I never ask why he's done.
My friends run by Mony, Honny, this Amarda. Hey, welcome back
(00:29):
to success made the last Legends.I'm Rick Tokeenney. This afternoon has been
devoted to interviewing everybody in McBride andthe Ride and we are finishing off install
with the drummer and vocalist Billy Thomasand uh it, Billy. It is
(00:49):
an honor to get to honor youtoday on Legends. Hey, thank you,
Rick. It's really good to behere and it's a it's a great
cause for reading the word about newstuff going on with our band. You
know, we've been doing stuff someon the side, you know, and
you know, as you know,I'm sure you've heard from the other fellows
(01:11):
that we have taken time off andthen we've come back together before. But
this is a this is really aspecial proud project this time around. In
twenty twenty three we did a liveEP called called Marlborough's and Avon and that
(01:32):
was really cool. We did that. That was a studio record. This
time we kind of we're taking achance, and we went out to Ray
Herndon's club, handle Barjay and recordedlive out there, and we're making a
live EP. I mean, Iwas just in listening to Terry play bass
yesterday and then in the studio withthat, and my tracks are basically done
(01:53):
because I can't change any stuff,you know, So we're trying to sweepen
a little bit of stuff here andthere. But uh, it's gonna be.
It's gonna be a new extension forthe three of us, really will
be. And I imagine it's gonnabe five or six of a handful of
our of our songs that we alllove. Some of them everybody's gonna know,
in fact, most all of themeverybody's going to know from us.
(02:15):
So yeah, it is great.I was listening to Ambrello Sky this morning
on top of some others. Anythingthat touches oh my gosh, yes,
anything else touches you seems sure feelslike it. Uh, these are great
songs. Love. I love thethe dance song you Take My Heart.
(02:39):
Oh my gosh, man, goodgood drumming beat. And I said,
I mean, I can't wait toBilly because that is the my wife's my
wife and I still dance after fiftyyears of knowing each other. So oh,
that's sweet. Always looking for gooddancing. Okay, let's start with
your kind of with your back.I want to know where you're from originally,
(03:00):
and I'd love to know about yourentire music journey. Well, I
really started playing drums at age eleven, and before that, I was actually
my family told me I was singingon a rocking horse. So I started
singing really early, and and mybrother had an old Leady and Ludwig drum
(03:24):
set up in the attic of ourhouse. I'm from Fort Myers, Florida,
and I decided I would I wouldtake it down. He was a
sports guy and wasn't using it.So I tried taking it down, and
I showed enough merit playing it thatmy dad wanted me to. He would
(03:45):
go out and buy me in kindof a drum at a time and help
me build these put a drum settogether and make it work. And then
in sixth grade, back then wehad we had junior high school. We
didn't that middle school. He hadjunior high school in Florida, And I
actually won a talent contest in thesixth grade and Because of that, a
(04:09):
band director took an interest in me, and I got into junior high band
really early, into the drump sowith that, and I kind of was
okay at it. I wasn't greatat percussion really and all that stuff.
I wanted to play the drum set. And then also I saw Ringo Starr
(04:30):
and that kind of changed me reallyand showed me this is what I this
is what I want to do.I loved the Beatles music and I loved
early rock, and so I playedall around Fort Myers and then all around
Florida. There were clubs to playall along each coastline. And then I
(04:50):
had a friend talk me into goingto California with him and we went out
as a trio, and luckily Iwas married at the time, and lucky
my wife got work out and wewent up to Marina del Ray, California
and tried out and we were arock trio, kind of like the Cream
(05:11):
or Jimmy Hendrix, those kind ofthings. Anyways, we didn't we after
three weeks, we lost our gig, and luckily she was able to work
for us and keep us afloat.But sooner or later we went back drifted
back to Florida, and I playedin a disco band, a horn band
for about about a year and ahalf or so, and then I said,
(05:32):
I can't do Florida anymore. I'mgonna let's go back out to California.
I said, I'm prepared to dowhatever I can, and so I
worked side jobs for a while,some of them pretty crazy, but I
finally got I finally passed an auditionout there and got with a group called
the Hudson Brothers and they had theyhad a show early on called Razzle Dazzle
(05:59):
on Saturday morning. They were kindof like a monkey's kind of deal,
but three brothers. And because ofthat, I said, I started flying
and I said, okay, thisis the way to travel. There's somebody
helping me set up my drums.I said, I'm not going to stop
doing this. I'll work as hardas I can to keep on playing drums.
(06:19):
And I did, and so Iwent from them to Ricky Nelson.
I played with Ricky Nelson for awhile and then I got a job with
Mac Davis, the singer songwriter whowas first my first real taste of country.
Rick did a little bit of likeCalifornia country, but Mac Davis was
(06:41):
deep in it at that time,more urban country, and I played a
bunch of years with him in LasVegas. And then I had a couple
friends here in Nashville, and itwas nineteen eighty six, going on eighty
seven, and I called these guysand one of them was really doing well,
(07:01):
was quite successful here in Nashville.He had started producing quite a bit.
His name was Richard Bennett. Hewas a friend, and when I
came down, he let me stayand do an exploratory trip, and so
I moved. I said, wegot to do this. I like the
feel of this place. I don'thave much going but my wife and I
were originally from Fort Myers, Florida, so we wanted to get the kids
(07:26):
one out of Los Angeles school systemsat that time, because it was starting
to look a little shaky out therein public schools for what we wanted.
So we moved here. And you'renot going to believe this, right that.
I before I could even get myfurniture here, it was packed and
(07:47):
on a truck. Here. Igot my first job, and it was
singing, and I went to astudio and it was for a custom label
deal and it was with this guy, Vince Gill, who I had heard
on record. We sang together fortwo days and he said, do you
(08:07):
play any instruments? And I saidyeah, I played drums. And he
said, well, I'd love tocome on over to the house and let's
check you out. I love theway you're saying. We get along grade
and I started playing with him andI walked in. It's like a Cinderella
story. And then right after that, my furniture arrived in Green Hills,
Tennessee, which is just south ofwhere I am now, and I've been
(08:31):
basically here ever since. And thatwas nineteen eighty seven when I moved here,
so different day and age from Nashville. Oh. Completely, there were
a lot more doors open, therewere there are people you could walk in.
I was interested in writing songs.I was interested in learning about the
(08:52):
soul of country music and how itwas approached, especially on the drums.
And I wanted to learn how to. I wanted to learn more about three
chords in the truth, and soI started doing that. I started,
uh making making sure that that Ilearned how to play those certain beats that
(09:16):
that tugged at my heart and madethose songs roll along and yet stayed out
of the way in the background.And so I was working on an album.
I worked on two albums with thisguy Tony Brown, and one of
them was marb was was Marty Stewart'sHillbilly Rock, and so I played on
(09:37):
all of that album, and thenI was playing with I got a chance
to play on Emmy Lou Harris's albumBlue Blue, and so I went and
uh and played on that. Andbecause of that, I got to know
that this guy Tony Brown was thekingpin with that here in town with MCA
(09:58):
Records here for he was producing GeorgeStraight, Vince gill reba uh why nonah.
The list goes on and on,and he was the vice president of
m c A at that time.And so I was sitting and he was
taking notice of me. I wassinging on Vincent's records at that time.
(10:20):
I sang on Eliza Jane and whatthe Cowgirls Do? I still believe in
you. When love calls my lovecalls your name, it's it's it was.
It was just I was pinching myselfconstantly, and so it was just
one of those real fertile times forme, and I walked into it Billy.
(10:41):
Did you realize that at the timethat there were so few number of
singing drummers. Yes, and thatyou know, in our day and age,
Karen Carpenter was a standout, notonly a female, but a great
drummer. But then Phil Collins comesalong. But Don Henley, I mean
(11:01):
who you were, you were ina handful, yes, evil. And
when I moved here, there wasone other guy that and I'm still great
friends with. His name was HarryStenson. He now plays with the Fabulous
Superlatives with with Marty Stewart. Andhe's a wonderful player and a wonderful singer,
and so we we in fact,we sang together out in Los Angeles
(11:22):
before I ever moved here. Andso with with that in mind, with
with having a dual threat, soto speak, I walked into some things
I never thought I would walk into. And it's been it's been a wonderful
(11:43):
experience and keeps on giving. SoI'll get onto too. With Tony Brown.
Tony decided that he was going totry something. He had enough credibility
to feel like he could bring aproject and a band to MCA Records at
the time, and so he said, he called me one day and he
(12:05):
said, Billy, he said,I've got this, Billy. I've got
this guy and his name name's TerryMcBrien and he's a songwriter down in Texas.
And he said he's been writing thesesongs I want you to check out.
I'm going to send you a cassetteand there were I believe five songs
on it, and all of themwere strong, and he said, I
(12:28):
want you to check it out.And there's this guy named Ray Herndon and
he plays with Lyle Lovett, andso I just went, this is this
is too cool to be true.I said, Tony, if you're involved,
I want to be involved. Youknow. It was that cool,
and so he put us all.We all agreed, obviously, and he
(12:50):
put us all in the room atsi R, which is a rehearsal studio
up here, and we started playingthese songs and they were all five terries
I think or six, I can'tremember exactly. And then he said,
I'm going to invite some people downhere. I want some people to see
you. So he brought more peopledown to see us, and he realized
(13:11):
that the harmonies, the musicianship waswhat he put us together for. But
then he realized there was this naturalharmony that took place, and the sound
of the vocals was a wonderful god. So we just kind of naturally picked
our parts. I sing hi,racing's low. He's a baritone. I'm
(13:35):
a tenor. Terry's a tenor butsings more melody. I sing above him,
and so everything just fit. Andwe had a steel player at the
time, a guy named Steve Fischel, who kind of opted to step back
from the band and produced. Heco produced with Tony the first album,
(13:56):
and then he didn't want to traveland do all that stuff, so we
decided we would go on as atrio and so it was called McBride and
the Ride, and so that's howwe did it. We started out as
a group called Wild Horses, andthen we found out there was a band
that had the same name and theywanted a lot of money. They had
a trademark, you know, andit was an attorney that had it trademark.
(14:18):
So we just from there. Wejust said there's no turning back,
and we had we had the muscleof a huge successful record label behind us
at that time, and so wejust didn't stop. We never looked back.
We pushed and pushed and pushed andmade big strides in about two years
(14:39):
and we were together four five albumseighty seven to No. Eighty nine excuse
me, eighty nine to ninety five, something like that. And then we
just banned for a while and thenwe came back together. Terry tried some
(15:01):
stuff on his own and then hedecided we'll just kick back. It didn't
work the same, and then wegot together and tried something. In two
thousand and two, I believe weput together. We did a song an
album called Amarillo Sky and that wasco or that was produced by us and
(15:22):
Matt Rawlings, and we had somewonderful stuff on it, but it didn't
It just didn't cut. The labeldidn't think it was as wonderful as we
did, and so they put outa couple of things, but they just
didn't. It didn't work at thattime. And also radio was trying to
figure itself out in two thousand andtwo, and so we was Ray that
(15:46):
so Ray had called me about tryingto put He wanted to put the band
together. He and Terry had gottentogether out where he lives, and they
loved the way it sounded, andthey said we got to try and see
if we can get the original bandback together. So we all got a
room together and said, well,the vocals sound great, these songs are
so easy to play. We wefound out that through social media we had
(16:10):
a whole bunch of listeners that stillwanted to hear what we did. So
we went out there and first thingwe said is is you know we're going
to try and do this. Weplayed some live gigs and we said,
well, you know what, let'schip in some money. Let's see what
we can do. Let's put usout an EP and see what happens.
And the EP we had Emoralless Guywas called Emery Less Guy Again, and
(16:34):
it was, uh, it wasgreat. It was it was a fun,
refreshing thing to get back in thestudio and and we hadn't lost anything,
you know. Still it's it's threeguys that that we still like the
same nineties country music and so that'sthat was a testimony to that. So
that's what we did. The thebrilliance of a three part harmony is something
(17:00):
that so many Country Western singers thatthey don't get it. They don't understand
it. When you when you thinkabout the great three part harmony bands in
our lifetime besides yours, who elsecomes to mind. You're not going to
believe this, but when I heardAll the Gold in California, Yes,
(17:23):
sir, that's the deal. Thatwas the same thing. That's the same
thing as the Everly Brothers was tome way way back when, you know.
And then there was a band noneof you people would know, but
Three Dog Knight these people, andI wasn't. I don't think Tony was
trying to do a three a harmonyband, and so three Dog Knight or
(17:48):
you know, any of these harmonybands take a chorus and naturally make it
a chorus of singing. I mean, you can have a guy sing a
melody and he can do it,but if you add harmonies to it,
to me, that's the stuff thattugs at my heart because it makes a
statement, it takes it makes whatwe call the music terms, a triad
(18:12):
out of a melody you note andthat moves, and that's always excited me.
When I was a child, myfamily would go out fishing in Florida
and fishing in the middle of thenight. We didn't have to see each
other anything. We'd all be holdingpolls and we'd be singing songs, family
songs that all of the family grewup singing. And that's where I learned
(18:33):
harmony. And I called everybody thatI'm just told. It was a wonderful
place for me to learn how tomake mistakes, to get corrected, to
hear the textures that happen, andtry and blend myself. So all of
that was natural, and I lovedoing it. I love to I hear
(18:53):
harmonies very naturally with chords, andso I've made a pretty darn good living
here in Nashville make doing that,you know so, And I guess to
answer your question when it comes sonaturally with two other voices like Terry and
Ray, it's easy. It's likeit's like getting back on a bicycle.
(19:18):
Whatever songs Terry decides he wants tosing lead on those. Once we get
them, it's instantaneous. We canrun a chorus two or three times and
we've got Ray's really good at itas well, so is Terry. I
mean, he's saying backgrounds with Brooksand done while he played bass with him.
So but then he realized Billy singspretty high because he had to start
(19:42):
singing the high parts above Ronnie aboutthere. So I had to pull my
pants up a little tighter. Sobut Billy, let's talk shop. Now.
When you are on a drum kitand you doing four different things already,
(20:03):
what is it about your brain thatkicks in so you can actually listen,
harmonize and then do the other fourparts of a drummer. I think
it happened because when I was learningdrums and I already felt like I knew
(20:25):
how to sing pretty well as achild, Yep, I was asked to
sing a lot, and so Isang a lot of leads in a couple
of the very first bands I playedin, and that made me realize to
sing lead, I've got to payattention to phrasing and I've got to know
(20:48):
lyrics as well as keeping the beat, and so there was a there was
a balance there. It's not aneasy thing to do, but the more
you do it, it's like rubbingyour head and pat your belly, you
know, and it cos it becomeseasier and easier, so you say,
and well, I'm just saying it'sone of those things. It's like I
(21:14):
thought, playing bass and singing againsta bassline is really hard. Terry turns
around and said, no, drumsare harder, and I went, I
don't know anything about that. Youknow, we look at each other and
talk about that a lot. Youknow. Yeah, I want you to
give me one little short story onthis producer you had named Tony Brown who
(21:41):
brought you guys together, because itwas brought up earlier that this is the
Tony Brown, as in the pianoplayer behind Elvis Presley, So behind one
one memorable story about Tony Brown otherthan you know, the one that you
just talked. Told us that thatmight be of interest to our listening audience
(22:03):
as still Elvis fans and frequency Elvisfans. Well, there are naturally gifted
people. And the more I gotaround when I first got here, the
magnitude I couldn't see the magnitude ofhis talent until I saw how he cast
(22:26):
people as a producer, how hebrought them together and knew what elements to
bring together. Let's say, youknow, like baking a pie, not
all the time. Can you puttogether people and have them make music together
(22:47):
that feels good and that can makesomething you want to promote, you know,
and something that we call successful here. And he had a knack for
doing that. He also knew whento reel some players back in and go
no, no, no, you'retaking this song too far away from where
(23:11):
the seed of the song is.He was really good about grabbing your ear
and going, Okay, come onback, come on back here, or
you know, you need to stepthis up. Can you make this a
little peppier? Can you make this? He was He was pretty uh unlimited
(23:33):
about his vocabulary musical vocabulary, andabout what he could, what do,
he what he expected out of people, and he respected them to be around
them. And so you you feltwith this guy and his credibility when he
said he liked what you played,and he's, man, I think is
(23:53):
great. He had a he hada real still does he's he's a funny
guy, you know, and hehad and he was he he would do
a little bit of a little bitof Elvis moves once in a while.
You couldn't coax him to do muchanything, you know, really and that
in that regard, he was prettyguarded about it, and we kind of
(24:15):
we kind of called that are hisprevious life. But he actually sat down
and played piano with us a coupleof times, not not on record.
I don't think, but but heplayed with us live one time, I
think. And he's still a wonderfulplayer, and you know, he had
I don't know how long it's beensince he's played, but he's a he's
(24:36):
one of those true testaments of hecame from a gospel thing and then Elvis
started working with Elvis and and broughtgospel along with some other players Emery Gordy,
Larry London or Ronnie Tutt, thesekind of players went with him and
made that live show out out ofthe Hilton Las Vegas. They made that
(25:00):
killed it, you know, alongwith the Sweet Inspirations and whomever else was
there. You know. So thisis a next question is sort of a
silly question, but you've you haveworked with, collaborated with, sung with
some of my heroes, and VinceGill stands out in my life along with
(25:26):
Amy Grant is too fabulous solid rockpeople. What's it like to be out
there with household names and they maynot be your hero, but to be
in their presence and to see themjust as normal people but also as giants
(25:48):
of our industry. First of all, Vince Gill and I became really good
friends. And because of that hasstayed that way. He is a solid
person, and I mean solid tothe fact that he didn't change his phone
number from the time I met himtill about early two thousands, so eighty
(26:12):
seven to two thousand, fifteen years. Let's say he had the same phone
number here. Meanwhile, he's hadthis meteoric you know rise success in country,
and he it was amazing. Hestayed, He stayed the same.
Then he married her and I gotto I got to meet her, and
(26:33):
I went, this is the samekind of person. These people are sweet,
they're they're sweet on each other,they're they're just wonderful people to have
in my life. And every timeI'm around each of them, I learned
a little something, you know.And and as for their talent, they
(26:59):
each support one another. Uh,they each allow each other, you know
what it takes them to satisize themselvesin previous They both work, they both
still work a lot, and theysupport one another with it. And I
just I told him, I said, I want to love like that,
(27:19):
you know what you have. Ihad gone through a divorce, was going
through and so he said, here, if you want. He gave me
a number, put it in myhand, and I went and he said,
check this woman out. He wasmatchmaking. He said, here's the
number. If you want to justgo out and laugh and have fun,
(27:42):
I have a person for you.I'd like you just to go out and
just have fun with her. AndI did and I've been married to her
now seventeen years. Bravo. Sohe's not a bad matchmaker. Also,
if you know what I'm saying,he's a powerful player in your then he's
the one who who is injecting alittle bit of happiness every day. Oh,
(28:04):
he's He's just he is the mostnaturally talented, liked, all around
talented person I've ever met in mylife. My father was incredibly well talented,
rounded talent, but Evince between sports, music, he is just incredible.
(28:25):
And it's all a gift. Itjust rolls and comes through him,
you know, it's really it's anamazing thing. He's got an amazing gift
and he's a he's a pleasure tobe around as well, you know,
So please tell him that he isone of my heroes. I will do
that, Rick, I'll tell you, Billy, Billy. We're going to
wrap up today's show. This isa this is a real simple platform that
(28:48):
we have to end shows. Wewant you to say anything you ever wanted
to say to your audience out thereand do it over the last several minutes
of this show. So all rightwith the stage, I would say.
My first thought is we have somethingspecial to share with you. This is
(29:08):
the first time we've ever tried tocapture our band and we did. I
think we succeeded at it. Wehave a live presentation and we can't wait
to share a lot of songs likethe Let's See What's on this god Lee,
Love on the Loose, Heart onthe Run, and Morello Sky No
(29:33):
More Crying. These are songs andthey're all done live and we I just
can't wait. It's an exciting timefor the band, and we'll also be
out there visiting you throughout the summer. And thank you for staying with us,
really sincerely, thank you. We'vegot devoted fans who have been there
for a long long time and theystill come out and it's much appreciate it
(29:56):
from all three of us. Well, that was great. I appreciate how
you express that. They are McBrideand the Ride and he is the one
and only Billy Thomas, and heis a rare bird because he sings beautifully,
plays beautiful drums, and I swearyou're you may be just a handful
(30:18):
of talented people that God has pickedout to say, hey, do a
fifth thing, sing and play drums. Well, thank you for that.
And like I said, for me, it's kind of like getting on a
bicycle. You know, I've beendoing it long enough to where everything's comfortable
and I appreciate it coming from you. And I know you're a drummer.
(30:44):
Uh, that's important to hear this. So it's sures. Well, congratulations
to you, and all of ourbest to you and your family, and
thanks again, and folks, aswe usually wrap up, it's we want
to say we wish you success,but on your way to significance, have
great day. Goes all those dropsevery suddenly sun is shining night. No,
(31:15):
you know the way, girl,you take my heart there every day
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