Billy Raffoul at Mercury Lounge

Canadian singer Jody Raffoul gave his son Billy Raffoul a guitar for his 10^th birthday. When Billy was in high school in his home town of Leamington, Ontario, he watched his dad headline a show for 4,000 people at his school’s stadium. Although the youth already had written songs, this moment inspired him to become a performer. At age 16, Billy bought his first real guitar. His first paid performance was playing to long-haul drivers at a local truck stop; in time he began playing the regional club circuit. Singing on some demos for Kid Rock became his entry into a professional career in music. Billy Raffoul released his six-song debut EP, 1975, on June 22, 2018. Raffoul now splits his time between Nashville and Los Angeles where, in between playing shows, he has been collaborating with other songwriters and assembling his forthcoming debut album.

Performing solo on acoustic and electric guitar at Mercury Lounge tonight, Billy Raffoul had no choice but to be bold and forthright with his music. He did not use backing tracks or rhythm machines, so the performance was all about what he could do with a microphone, six strings, and a whole lot of charisma. A thick mane of long hair, which he pushed to one side and then the other, strikingly good looks, and a raspy, achy singing voice that seemingly articulated a yearning for understanding and companionship drew many women to the edge of the stage. Indeed, the singer-songwriter's more sentimental lyrics revealed wounds and heartaches, leaving him reflective and vulnerable. Grounded in humility and earthiness, Raffoul's soulful singing helped capture terse storylines with compelling credibility, inviting the listeners to feel the movements with him. It will not be long before Raffoul's honeyed delivery draws a swarm of bees.

Visit Billy Raffoul at www.BillyRaffoul.com.