What is the chance of an unknown songwriter getting to meet ten mega music stars, traveling to 5 countries?
You say it depends on who they are.
Here they are.
Byran Adams, Jon Bon Jovi, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Huey Lewis, Paul McCartney, Aaron Neville, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart.
To see them, easy, just buy tickets. See them up close, hang around their hotels, that is doable. Get to talk to them, that would be much harder. Have a real conversation with them, you must be joking! Convince them appear on a tribute album for an unknown singer-songwriter – which planet are you on?
Billy Franks had a dream and three of his friends helped make it happen. A documentary film, “Tribute This!” captured the whole thing.
Now after doing what they set out to do, Billy Franks knows he wouldn’t trade a year of his life, for one day of their protected lives, but the journey gave him a special insight into the music industry.
That insight is displayed in Billy Franks’ new book, ” A Far Cry From Sunset .”
Congratulations, Billy Franks, for achieving your goal, with a great team of friends, and for passing on the knowledge.
As Marc Geiger, VP of the William Morris Agency said, “Anyone in, thinking of getting in, or desperate to get out of, the music industry, or even simply a lover of music, should read this book. Then they will know what it takes to dedicate a life to something you love”
Billy Franks, lead singer and songwriter for “The Faith Brothers,” had two albums and six singles in the UK music charts. His next major accomplishments were six solo albums and a charity single in partnership with his friend, Prince Harry, to raise money for the Prince’s African charity Sentebale.
Billy Franks is dedicated to his craft of song writing. and his friends dedicated themselves to help him. His friend, Mick McCleery, who directed the Tribute This! documentary had this to say, “He has given so much to others through his music. Dedicating ourselves to a project that would honor him was a no brainer on our part.”
Billy’s book “A Far Cry from Sunset,” shows us the trials and tribulations of four friends making a documentary of an almost unreachable goal, plus stories from his musical career touring with U2 and REM and others.
A new live album “From the Court to the Empire,” was recorded at the Shepherds Bush Empire theatre, in London. It will be released at the same time as the book.
If you are in London, in April, go see Billy and his band headline “Help for Heroes,” at London’s Apollo Theatre. The charity show is organized by Sebastian Miles of Set3Promotions who says, “It gives me great pride after 21 years of service to present such a great event to at least give something back to my brothers and sisters in arms in recognition for their sacrifice.”
