Billy Lee Riley died of colon cancer on August 2nd 2009, at the age of 75.
2005 marks Billy Lee Riley's 49th year in the music business as artist, writer, producer and label owner. He remembers recording his first commercial recording in a garage on Fernwood Street in Memphis, engineered by Jack Clement. The record, "Troube Bound" / "Rock With Me baby", was later sold to Sam Phillips and Billy became a Sun Recording Artist in March of 1956. Billy Lee has since gone back to his roots and is now recording traditional blues. His first blues record, "Hot Damn" on the Capricorn label broke the ice for him and now his last release, "Shade Tree Blues", looks even better. Produced by Billy and recorded at the legendary Sun Studios, Billy believes that he has captured that good old cotton patch sound and feel. It just feels good.
