Billy Zoom

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X on the cover of their 1997 collection Beyond and Back: The X Anthology, with Billy on the center left

Billy Zoom was born Tyson Kindell on February 20, 1948, in Savanna, Illinois. The son of a Big Band woodwinds player, he inherited his father's love of music. At a very young age, Tyson began playing a variety of instruments, including violin, accordion, piano, clarinet, tenor, alto, and baritone saxophones, flute, banjo, and guitar. Upon moving to Los Angeles in the 1960's, he worked as a session guitarist while attending technical school for training in electronics repair. Billy Zoom has an insider's reputation as an expert in the maintenance, restoration, and modification of vintage tube amplifiers, and has performed custom technical work on the amps of a host of electric guitarists and bassists.

Although best known as guitarist and founding member of punk rock band X, Zoom has also worked with Rockabilly legend Gene Vincent, The Blasters, Etta James, Big Joe Turner, and dozens of other major recording artists.

Billy Zoom is listed as an artist in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.