Billy is an award winning Anglo-Brazilian instrumental guitarist – inspired by Rodrigo y Gabriela, Tommy Emmanuel & Mike Oldfield – his style fuses across the genres of Flamenco, Classical and Fingerstyle Acoustic.
In 2016, aged just 14, he reached the grand final of ‘Guitar Star’ – a guitar based talent show open to all ages for Sky Arts TV, and from 2019-22 he studied classical guitar at The Royal College of Music in London.
In 2022 Billy was invited by Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne / Black Sabbath) to join him on tour with his Jazz trio “Jazz Sabbath” as support act for the show. Billy opened all of the UK dates, culminating at a sold out Crescent Theatre show in Birmingham, and joined the band on stage along with Prog Rock legend Rick Wakeman for a final encore.
During ‘Guitar Star’ Billy stunned audiences with some extraordinary performances – for judges and mentors including Jazz legend George Benson, Classical Virtuoso Miloš Karadaglic, Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi, and David Bowie’s producer Tony Visconti – who described him as ‘a little genius’.
Further TV and Radio work includes guest appearances with comedian Rory Bremner at two sold out theatre shows in Edinburgh, and in summer 2019 Billy was special guest of MOBO award winning Jazz saxophonist Yolanda Brown on her BBC TV show ‘Yolanda’s Band Jam’.
Billy’s online videos of popular songs played in a classical style have achieved in the region of 100 million views across all platforms & his performances of Bohemian Rhapsody have been praised and shared by both Queen and Brian May’s official social media channels.
He has appeared at numerous UK and European festivals, including ‘Guitar Summit’ (Mannheim), ‘Musikmesse’ (Frankfurt), ‘Latitude Festival’, ‘The Acoustic Festival of Britain’, ‘Ullapool Guitar Festival’ (Scotland), ‘Towersey Festival’ supporting Midge Ure and ‘The Henley Festival’ – on the same bill as The Pet Shop Boys and Chaka Khan.
He has also performed live at many iconic UK music venues, including the legendary Abbey Road Studio number 2 of Beatles fame, Bush Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall and Liverpool’s Cavern Club.
Billy has released 2 full length studio albums, ‘Riversong’ (2018),‘Back Street Kid’ (2021) as well as a 6 track EP ‘On With the Show’ (2020) featuring 6 instrumental arrangements of classic Queen songs.
Equally at ease on both steel and nylon strings, and refusing to be ‘pigeon holed’ into a specific musical style, Billy’s live show offers a mesmerizing, genre defying journey through music, with repertoire spanning Classical, Flamenco and Pop, through to Electronic Trance and Classic Rock – all on 1 guitar.
Billy is officially endorsed by several major brands, including Ortega Guitars, who in 2022 released a signature model in his name and he regularly performs at music trade shows and exhibitions. He is also available for TV and Session Work, Private Bookings, Weddings, Corporate events and Festival Performances.
Officially endorsed by Ortega Guitars, BOSS pedals, Faith guitars, G7th Capos, BAM cases, EVIDENCE Audio Cables, Aquila nylon strings and Dean Markley Steel Strings.
Billy also plays custom hand made guitars from Stephen Hill Guitars and Fylde Guitars.
