Billy Lee Riley - I'm Him

Recorded Live from Memphis, Tennessee, USA with JM Van Eaton on Drums.
Billy Lee Riley (October 5, 1933 – August 2, 2009) was an American rockabilly pioneer, musician, singer, and songwriter, known for his influential contributions to the genre during the 1950s. Born in Pocahontas, Arkansas, Riley was a mixture of Irish and American Indian who grew up in a poor Arkansas sharecropper family - immersed in music from an early age. Billy Lee learned to play guitar and harmonica at a young age from an old Black man who lived nearby.
In the mid-1950s, Riley led the legendary Sun Records house band “The Little Green Men” (taking their name from Riley’s 1957 hit Flying Saucer Rock n Roll) featuring notable musicians such as guitarist Roland Janes, Jerry Lee Lewis on piano, and drummer J.M. Van Eaton). The group supported various artists at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where he recorded a string of rockabilly classics. His debut single "Rock with Me Baby" and the follow-up "Flyin' Saucers Rock 'n' Roll" became seminal rockabilly tracks, showcasing his raw vocal style and energetic performances. Riley's music along with Carl Perkins, Scotty Moore, Sonny Burgess and others were the driving influence that defined the Rockabilly genre. Riley can be heard on bass in Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin” along with J.M Van Eaton on drums and Roland Janes on Guitar.
Billy Lee was one of the finest harmonica players in the business, and played numerous instruments, and wrote hit songs and sang vocals. He remains revered among rockabilly enthusiasts. His influence upon the birth of rockabilly was so profound that some have said “That’s why they call it Rock-a-Billy”. Riley was posthumously inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and remains one of the most talented musicians ever to grace the doorstep of 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, TN.
After leaving Sun Records, Riley continued to record and perform with the Beach Boys and others. In the later years of his career, Riley experienced a resurgence in popularity, performing at rockabilly festivals and releasing new recordings. His contributions to music were recognized with his induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and numerous accolades celebrating his impact on the genre and an enduring legacy in the history of rockabilly music.

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