Quick Facts
Biography
Billy Earl McClelland (born 1950, Cusseta, Alabama, United States) Died October 3, 2013 from complications after a heart attack at the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Alabama, was an American session guitarist and songwriter.
Overview
McClelland left High School to go to Nashville, Tennessee, and was signed 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, and Mel Tillis. He has written songs for Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, T.G. Sheppard, Sawyer Brown and Delbert McClinton.
Eventually, he released a 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. While there, his passion for the blues led him to produce the first Big Bill Morganfield recording, engineered by Mike Durff & Tyler Bell.
McClelland continues to be a regular in clubs and festivals throughout the Southeast. McClelland also worked with Bo Diddley and Albert Collins. His album Judgment Day (2000) received critical acclaim from all the major blues magazines.
McClelland helmed Mojo:Saint, a contemporary blues project, along with veteran drummer David Brazeal and bassist Jack Hall [Wet Willie].
McClelland was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
Discography
- Billy Burnette, Polydor Records, 1979, As a member of Billy Burnette's (of Fleetwood Mac) solo group.
- Zero Hindsight, Elektra Asylum Records, 1980
- Ready or Not, Elektra Asylum Records, 1980
- Murdered for Love, 1986, as a member 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, producer and member of "Big" Bill Morganfield's band.
- Judgment Day, MojoBlues Records, 2000
- Now And Then, Then 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