"I will never forget the big words of wisdom my father gave me about my desire to be an entertainer...'Son, it won't surprise me if you make it but it would surprise me if you didn't.' "
"I know now what my priorities are. My children matter above all else, but I know that my music is a part of me just like my kids are. I'm really enjoying myself now. I love what I'm doing."
... Billy Dean
In the early 1990's, country music was continually changing with the introduction of a few new young faces. One of these was a singer/songwriter named Billy Dean. His debut album titled "Young Man" was a crossover success, selling right at a million copies. His first single, "Only Here For A Little While," remained on the charts for 26 weeks, peaking at #2.
Billy's second single, "Somewhere In My Broken Heart," brought a whole new audience to country music. It was his first #1 single as both singer and songwriter and won him The Academy Of Country Music's Song of the Year Award and Top New Male Vocalist Award. It also won him a #7 spot on the adult contemporary charts and a trip to the Grammy's.
"People come up to me all the time and say, you know we never listened to country music until we heard your songs. It makes me feel like I've made a small contribution in expanding the fan base of country music," states Billy.
During Billy Dean's eight year tenure at Capitol Records, he recorded seven albums including a greatest hits package, selling over 4 million units. As a songwriter, Billy penned four of his top five hits including two #1's. His success as a songwriter ranges from covers by major artists to theme songs for cartoons and television specials.
After leaving Capitol Records earlier this year, Billy decided to take a break from music to concentrate on acting. He has made several guest star appearances on shows such as "Lois & Clark," "Wings," "Diagnosis Murder" and "One Life To Live." He has also hosted numerous television specials.
In 1998, Billy co-starred with Crystal Bernard in the USA cable movie "A Face To Kill For." It was the network's highest rated movie that year.
In 1999, Billy co-starred with Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Dolly Parton, in the Lifetime Television movie "Blue Valley Songbird," combining his proven skills as actor, musician and singer.
Billy has several new music projects in the works and continues to open new doors as a multi-media artist entering the new millennium.
Source: http://www.billydean.com/bio.htm
