Billy Burnette

In the late 1950s, the Burnette family moved to Los Angeles, where his father and uncle worked with Ricky Nelson.

Nelson had hit songs with "Believe What You Say", written by Dorsey Burnette and Johnny Burnette, and "It's Late", written by Dorsey.

Dorsey William Burnette III (born May 8, 1953, in Memphis, Tennessee, United States) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1996.

Burnette also had a brief career in acting.

The son of Dorsey Burnette and Alberta Burnette, Billy Burnette was born into a musical family.

His father and his uncle Johnny Burnette (singer of the 1960 hits "Dreamin'" and "You're Sixteen") were two of the members of the 1950s band The Rock and Roll Trio, which also included Paul Burlison.

Johnny had a son named Rocky, born around the time as Billy, who also became a musician.

Billy Burnette made his first recording when he was seven, appearing with Ricky Nelson on the song "Hey Daddy (I'm Gonna Tell Santa On You)" (Dot, 1960).

He toured with Brenda Lee while teaching himself to play guitar.

After graduating from high school, his father took him to Memphis to meet record producer Chips Moman, who had recently finished recording Presley's songs "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto".

He went with Moman to Atlanta before going to Nashville in 1971 and collaborating with Larry Henley.

In addition to songwriting, Burnette spent three years on the road as Roger Miller's rhythm guitarist.

In 1972, Burnette signed with Entrance Records and recorded his debut album, Billy Burnette.

In 1979, he switched to Polydor Records and released his second album, again titled Billy Burnette.

His third album, Between Friends (Polydor, 1979), contained "What's a Little Love Between Friends", which charted briefly on the low end of the Billboard country chart.

The album also had a cover version of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding.

After he signed with Columbia Records, he issued the third album to be called Billy Burnette (Columbia, 1980), his fourth album overall.

The song "Don't Say No" reached No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Honey Hush" and "Tear It Up" were performed by his father and uncle.

"One Night" was a cover of an Elvis Presley song.

Videos were made for the tracks "Don't Say No" and "In Just a Heartbeat".

The album Gimme You followed in 1981.

In 1985, Eddy Raven ("She's Gonna Win Your Heart") and Ray Charles ("Do I Ever Cross Your Mind") reached the charts with songs written by Burnette.

Other artists who have sung his songs include Jerry Lee Lewis, The Everly Brothers, Gregg Allman, Loretta Lynn, Charlie Pride, Tanya Tucker, and Ringo Starr.

In 1986, Burnette released Soldier of Love.

The title track peaked at No. 54 on the country charts and remained in the top 100 for seven weeks.

He was nominated for Best New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music.

In 1987, he wrote "(All I Can Do Is) Dream You" for Roy Orbison.

Curb released its final Billy Burnette album, Brother to Brother, a compilation with the title song added from the film Gleaming the Cube.

In 1992, Burnette signed with Capricorn Records, which issued Coming Home.

Although "Nothing to Do (and All Night to Do It)" was not on the album, it reached No. 64 on the Billboard country chart.

Many of the songs from Coming Home were featured in Burnette's acting debut in the film Saturday Night Special.

Between 1994 and 1998, he appeared in the films Not Like Us, Carnosaur 3: Primal Species, Casper Meets Wendy, Addams Family Reunion, and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish.

In 1999, he signed with Grand Avenue Records and released All Night Long.

Are You With Me Baby, a rockabilly album, followed on the Free Falls Entertainment label.

The album had one cover, "Believe What You Say".

Between 2001 and 2005, he covered "Copperhead Road" by Steve Earle and "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash.

He toured as a member of Bob Dylan's backup band and in 2004 became a member of John Fogerty's band.

After a hiatus from solo albums, he released Memphis in Manhattan (2006), which was recorded live by Chesky Records at St. Peter's Church in New York City.

The album included cover versions of "Everything Is Broken" by Bob Dylan, "Oh Well by Fleetwood Mac, "Big Hunk of Love" by Elvis Presley, "It's Late" and "Tear It Up" by Rick Nelson, and "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers.