Billy Earl McClelland

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Billy Earl McClelland (b. 1950 in Cusseta, Alabama, USA) is a session guitarist and songwriter.

[edit] Overview

McClelland left High School to go to Nashville and was almost immediately picked up by a record label. As a session guitarist in Nashville, he worked with B.J. Thomas, Willie Nelson, Tony Joe White, Hank Snow, Townes Van Zandt, Brenda Lee, Mel Tillis and a host of others. He's written songs for Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, T.G. Sheppard, Sawyer Brown and Delbert McClinton and more.

Eventually, he released a more rock-oriented record on Elektra. A second album, Ready or Not, remains unreleased by the label.

Later, McClelland moved to Memphis at the urging of Skip McQuinn.

McClelland continues to be a regular in clubs and festivals throughout the Southeast. McClelland's raw edged vocals and guitar virtuosity has led him to work with such blues greats as Bo Diddley and Albert Collins. His passion for the blues has lead him to produce many including the first "Big" Bill Morganfield recording (son of Muddy Waters). His Year 2000 CD "Judgment Day" received critical acclaim from all the major blues magazines.

Billy Earl McClelland has recently helmed Mojo:Saint, a contemporary blues project, along with veteran drummer David Brazeal and legendary bassist Jack Hall [Wet Willie]. A new Mojo:Saint studio recording is in the works for late 2007.

McClelland has been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

[edit] Discography

"Billy Burnette", Polydor Records, 1979, As a member of Billy Burnette's (of Fleetwood Mac) solo group.
"Zero Hindsight", Electra Asylum Records, 1980
"Ready or Not", Electra Asylum Records, 1980
"Murdered for Love", 1986, as a me mber of the band Blue Monday
"For the Fathers of Rock and Roll", Personal Records, 1986
"Nineteen Years Old:A Tribute to Muddy Waters", Taxim, 1999, as a member of "Big" Bill Morganfield's band.
"Judgment Day", MojoBlues Records, 2000
"Now And Then, T hen And Now", Chips Moman Records, 2001, as a member of Billy Joe Royal's band.
"Even More Good Whiskey Blues", Taxim, Compilation, 2005
"Blues From the Heart of Dixie", Taxim, Compilation, 2006
"Floral Park Bootleg", Jammates Records, 2006