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0651-MUS-10/2013
Billy J. Morris
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Billy Morris was born in 1952 in a military hospital in Biloxi, Mississippi. His parents were Heldon and Margi Morris. His grandfather was Cajun French, his father's nickname was Frenchy and Billy grew up speaking Cajun French. At age 12 Billy began performing on stage, playing the drums and singing. He loved soul music and played with Al Harris, Peddler and Don Harris. At age 14 he went on the road with the Peddlers. Their band was the Pete Decote Cajun Band which they later changed to the Bayou Diamonds. At age 16 Billy and Pop Harris became a duo, went to Beaumont, Texas and then went on the road. He ended up in New Orleans and played with Freddie Fender, Barry White, and Bill Withers and played in Biloxi at the Fiesta Club and Kiko Simba Club. He also played the Bossier strip with a band called Function and recorded at Stax recording studio in Memphis. He left Function and returned to Shreveport and began playing at the Ramada Inn with Cass, Van Norman and Dayl Blues. In 1999, Billy got inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame. He hosted a radio show for 23 weeks in Mansfield, Louisiana, Billy J's Homegrown Hour. His music idols include Duane Yates, Tommy McLain, Clint West, John Brown, David Clayton Thomas from Blood, Sweat and Tears and Otis Redding. He has played with all of them except Otis Redding. His favorite group is Tower of Power. He says that he has seen the hippie scene, played rock music, acid rock, and country but wished that he had not missed quality time with his kids when they were growing up. He now has a band, Billy Jan and Larazmataz in which his wife, Julie, sings back up. He also does DJ and karaoke business. Billy has six children and eight grandchildren.