|
Billy Lawlor

Leader of the
Billy Lawlor Band, keyboardist, vocalist, private
instructor & entertainer, Billy has been
a mainstay at the Jersey Shore since the late 70's.
Billy was introduced to the Shore area by his father,
Bill Lawlor, who enjoyed a successful career as an
organist/singer/entertainer during the 50's through the
70's........seeing what it was like performing and
entertaining while around his dad, Billy got "bit by the
bug", and so began Billy's relationship with the Shore
music scene.
As a recording artist, Billy has recorded 4 CD's, 2 of which
are live recordings at Jersey Shore locations, showing
off the band's party, rock and roll style, while the
other 2 are Christmas CD's, studio jazz recordings. One
is for Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Care
Programs, and the other most recently for Make A Wish
Foundation of NJ. The two Christmas CD's are another
side of Billy's musical style & taste. They are both
jazzier recordings along the style of Vince Guaraldi
(composer of all of the Charlie Brown animated TV
shows), and Oscar Peterson. The musicians on both
holiday recordings are current or past members of Blood
Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Ray Charles, Tower of Power,
Gloria Estafan.
Comparisons to piano players such as Bruce Hornsby ( a
classmate of Billy's from the Berklee College of Music
in Boston, MA.) and Billy Joel happen often, as Billy is
prone to pull out some of their songs while performing.
Billy is also an accomplished organist, and is currently the
choir/music director for Christ United Methodist Church,
Lakewood, NJ. For CUMC he leads the 20 member choir
weekly for rehearsal and services. Prior to, Billy was
the organist/vocalist for Our Lady Star of the Sea RC
Church, Long Branch, NJ for 23 years. Billy is always
requested at various other churches for sub work when
available.
Billy studied privately with Emory Hack, Perth Amboy, NJ for
8 years, and then went on to attend Berklee College of
Music, Boston, MA. in the early 70's. He studied with
Dean Earl all through college. Dean was Count Basie's
sub, and also an arranger/pianist for Billie Holiday.
While in Berklee, Billy was privileged to play with the
likes of drummer Steve Smith, who went on to a
successful career with the band "Journey". Steve so
performed with Billy on his audition tape recording for
New England Conservatory of Music. As an
accompanist, Billy has performed at The Julliard
School and The Manhattan School of Music, both in New
York, The Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, The
Boston Conservatory & Berklee College of Music, Boston
MA, and Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ, along
with numerous, varied locations for male and female
vocalists, in either the classical, jazz or popular
style.
Married to
his wife Linda, Billy enjoys living at the Jersey Shore
year round, venturing to locations up and down the
Eastern seaboard. From Rhode Island to New York, down to
Washington, DC.........concerts in minor league baseball
stadiums......private events at the Plaza Hotel, or the
New York Marathon in NYC, Billy will travel with his
band, an ambassador with Jersey roots, providing the best in music and entertainment that
Jersey has to offer.
|