Today we’d like to introduce you to Billy Law.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Billy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I got into music at an early age. My mom was a jazz vocalist before I was born but when she had me, she gave it up to become a voice and choir teacher. She and my dad always thought one of the most important parts of my education was music so I started playing the piano when I was about 6. When I was around 15, my buddy Joshua Ray Walker who was playing guitar for a couple bands encouraged me to play bass so we could jam together and eventually start our own band. That never quite materialized but I kept playing bass.
A few years later, I started playing bass for Nathan Mongol Wells in a band called Ottoman Turks with Paul Hinojo on drums. We recruited Joshua Ray Walker to play lead guitar for us and the circle was completed. Eventually, Paul, Nathan, and I moved down to College Station for school and the band continued on. Nathan and Josh are both songwriters and, while Turks were and is still active, they both had solo gigs on the side. They both took me under their wing and encouraged to do my own writing. I played a few solo shows with them here and there but mostly stuck to writing.
After school, I moved to Houston to work for as a project manager for an environmental company. It was a good job but the stress and lack of creative outlet eventually got the best of me. I moved back to Dallas to pursue music. I’ve been playing around town ever since with my solo project, Billy Law, as well as playing bass for Justin Tipton and Ottoman Turks
Has it been a smooth road?
Overall, I can’t complain. I’ve learned that you have to embrace the struggles. That’s how you learn and that’s where your best writing material comes from. Everything works out eventually. Sometimes, it just takes a little longer than you’d like it to. There are plenty of struggles as an artist that has been well documented over the years. It’s terrifying to just put yourself out there and allow yourself to be vulnerable through your art.
It’s hard to explain to people that music is something you want to pursue and deal with the ensuing barrage of questions that follow. “Do you know how hard that will be?”, “Don’t most artists fail?”, “How are you going to provide for a family with a musician’s income?”. Like I said though, I can’t complain. I’ve got a great support system around me and the community of artists in Dallas is overflowing with truly great people.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Billy Law – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m a songwriter/bandleader/bassist most often but I’ve really enjoyed hosting Crowd Control at Mudsmith which is a monthly open mic we have at Mudsmith on Lower Greenville centered around writing. Hosting that has really turned me on to event coordinating as well as just working with other artists around town.
I love writing and performing but I also love serving the scene by trying to help artists connect and grow. That’s how we all succeed as artists. We keep pulling each other up and encouraging each other to grow.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
There is so much to do in Dallas and there is so much going on. The arts scene is fantastic; there’s something for everyone. Also, the food is absolutely amazing.
Contact Info:
- Email: billylawmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abillylaw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aBillyLaw/
- Other: https://billylaw.bandcamp.com/releases
Image Credit:
Dylan Huddleston and Jessica Waffles
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