When Billy Payne was in the first grade, he had a life-changing experience: his parents gave him a copy of “Johnny Cash at San Quentin.”

Looking back, he says with a laugh that it might not have been something a kid should’ve been listening to, but he loved it. “That was the first album I got, and I still have it today. When I heard Johnny Cash, I was ready to start playing some music,”

Billy says. “I guess, Johnny Cash was the first one that influenced me, right off the start.”

Growing up in beautiful West Virginia – where he was born and still lives – Billy was influenced by country music most of his life, often listening in as his uncles and cousins played and sang at family get-togethers. “I loved music, and I just loved to sit and listen to them sing,” he says.

Billy Payne International Songwriter

He was influenced greatly by the country music stars back of the day. “When I was a child, we watched That Nashville Music, the Bill Anderson Show and the Porter Wagoner Show on television,” Billy says. “I loved music, and I loved to sit and listen and sing along to it.”

But, sitting and listening to music wasn’t enough for Billy. When he was about 12 years old, Billy started teaching himself to play the guitar, the beginnings of what would be a life-long music career. “It’s always something I’ve wanted to do,” he says.

Billy Payne, the Maverick Hillbilly,  was nominated for 4 awards in the International Songwriters Association 2023.

Also nominated for USA Male Vocalist of The Year, USA Male Album of The Year, USA Male Singer of The Year and USA Male Songwriter of The Year.

He is also nominated on the Red Carpet Awards. Traditional Country Cover – Male – “So You Wanna Be A Cowboy Singer”, Best Country Cover Song Of The Year – Male.

In 2007, Waylon Jennings’ band, the Waylors – aka Waymore’s Outlaws – heard Billy on an Internet radio station and wanted him to join them in Nashville for a tribute show to the Outlaws. After that, he started recording with the band in the studio and toured with them briefly as a guest on their road show.

“I still play with the Waylors from time to time and I record all my albums with them,” Billy says. “In the studio. I have put out four CDs in the last 10 years – all with the Waylors. I just recorded the last one in December of last year. It just came out a couple of months ago.”

Billy’s musical journey has been very good to him over the last several years. Check him out and enjoy the music!

All of Billy’s albums can be purchased online at iTunes, Spotify and CD Baby. Those albums include the latest, Maverick Hillbilly; the first, No Limit on Love and several others – Back to the Simple Life, Genuine Leather, Spirit of an Outlaw, Country Till I Die and some compilation albums he’s featured on.

Contact Billy Payne with your enquiry.