Billy Gilman

Billy Gilman

Billy Gilman in 2000 while in concert in Boston.
Background information
Birth name William Wendell Gilman III
Born May 24, 1988 (1988-05-24) (age 23)
Origin Hope Valley, Rhode Island, United States
Genres Country
Years active 1999–present
Associated acts Ray Benson
Asleep at the Wheel
Website Official website

William Wendell "Billy" Gilman III (born May 24, 1988) is an American country music artist. In 2000, at the age of 12, he debuted with the single "One Voice," a Top 20 hit on the Billboard country music charts and became the youngest singer to a Top 40 hit on the country music charts. An album of the same name was released later that year on Epic Records, and was certified double platinum in the United States. Following it was a Christmas album "Classic Christmas" and Dare to Dream, both of which were certified gold. He exited Epic's roster and signed to Image Entertainment in 2005 releasing Everything and More. In 2006, he released the self-titled Billy Gilman.

Contents

Biography

Born William Wendell Gilman III on May 24, 1988, in Westerly, Rhode Island, he was raised in Hope Valley, Rhode Island.[1] Gilman began singing before he was in school, and gave his first public performance at age 7. At the age of 9, Gilman was discovered by Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, who helped him record demos.[1] Gilman was then signed to Epic Records Nashville in 2000.

Musical career

On September 10, 2001, he was voted the European's most awarded music award in new country artist, becoming the youngest contender to ever win that prize. He was also given entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest singer to reach #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.[2] He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his debut single "One Voice" and was nominated for Best Country Song for the songwriters, Don Cook and David Malloy. That same year, he appeared in the tribute album Country Goes Raffi, performing Raffi's famous song "Baby Beluga."

On September 7 and September 10, 2001, Gilman performed the song "Ben" at Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special in New York which was later televised. It was originally sung by Michael Jackson in 1972.

Gilman was featured on Welsh soprano Charlotte Church's album Dream A Dream and released a Christmas album in 2000 titled Classic Christmas, which was certified Gold by the RIAA. In 2003, Billy released his fourth album, Dare to Dream,[1] which was also certified gold. Although its singles "Elisabeth" and "She's My Girl" both fell short of Top 40 on the Billboard country singles charts.

In 2002, Gilman took part of a reading for the then Broadway-bound musical A Tale of Two Cities (musical). He played "The Young Man," who is Madame DeFarge's brother.

His final album for Epic was entitled Music Through Heartsongs: Songs Based on the Poems of Mattie J.T. Stepanek. These songs were based on poems written by Mattie Stepanek, a poet with muscular dystrophy who died in 2004.[1]

Gilman signed to Image Entertainment in 2005 for the release of his fifth album, Everything and More. A self-titled album followed in 2006.

Personal life

Gilman lives in Hope Valley, Rhode Island with his parents Bill and Fran Gilman and his younger brother Colin, frequently flying back to Nashville to write and record.. He is also a Celebrity Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US Country
[3]
US
[4]
US Indie
[5]
One Voice[A] 2 22
Dare to Dream
  • Release date: May 8, 2001
  • Label: Epic Nashville
6 45
Music Through Heartsongs
  • Release date: April 15, 2003
  • Label: Epic Nashville
15 109
Everything and More 16 17
Billy Gilman
  • Release date: September 6, 2006
  • Label: Image Entertainment
11 29
"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Notes
  • A^ One Voice also peaked at number 6 on the RPM Country Albums chart in Canada.[8]

Holiday albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US Country
[3]
US
[4]
US Holiday
[9]
Classic Christmas
  • Release date: October 17, 2000
  • Label: Epic Nashville
4 42 5

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US Country
[10]
US
[11]
US AC
[12]
UK
[13]
2000 "One Voice"[A] 20 38 29 84 One Voice
"Oklahoma" 33 63
2001 "There's a Hero"
"She's My Girl" 50 Dare to Dream
"Elisabeth" 56
2005 "Everything and More" 35 Everything and More
"Hey, Little Suzie (The Cause of All That)" 33
2006 "Gonna Find Love" 25 Billy Gilman
"Southern Star" 17
2007 "Crying" 48 Non-album song
2008 "When You Come Home" 50
"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Notes
  • A^ "One Voice" also peaked at number 23 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.[14]

Other charted songs

Year Single Peak positions Album
US Country
[10]
2000 "Warm and Fuzzy" 50 Classic Christmas

Music videos

Year Video Director
2000 "One Voice" Trey Fanjoy
"Oklahoma"
"Warm and Fuzzy" David McClister
2001 "There's a Hero" Brent Hedgecock
"She's My Girl"
"Elisabeth" Shaun Silva
2003 "I Am (Shades of Life)"
2005 "Everything and More" Alec Asten
"Hey, Little Suzie (The Cause of All That)"

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d Huey, Steve. "Billy Gilman biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p425379/biography. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
  2. ^ http://billygilman.com/online/contact.html
  3. ^ a b "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210?f=320&g=Albums. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  4. ^ a b "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Independent Albums". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210?f=326&g=Albums. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  6. ^ a b c Gilman&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=50 "RIAA - Gold & Platinum - September 26, 2010: Billy Gilman certified albums". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Billy Gilman&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=50. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  7. ^ "Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Gold & Platinum". Canadian Recording Industry Association. http://www.cria.ca/goldplat.php#album. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  8. ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Albums/CDs". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=f7atlpajr7ejeafcv6vcn5liq1&q1=Billy+Gilman&q2=Country+Albums%2FCDs&interval=20. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  9. ^ "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Holiday Albums". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210?f=325&g=Albums. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  10. ^ a b "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210?f=357&g=Singles. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  12. ^ "Billy Gilman Album & Song Chart History - Adult Contemporary". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/billy-gilman/chart-history/392210?f=341&g=Singles. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  13. ^ "Chart Log UK: Gina G. - GZA". Official Charts Company. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_G.HTM. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 
  14. ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Singles". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=f7atlpajr7ejeafcv6vcn5liq1&q1=Billy+Gilman&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20. Retrieved September 26, 2010. 

External links