Billy Ray Deiz

Our hits are still going strong in Oregon, with several of our songs still in the top 10 for POP, and we stand at #1 for POP in Oregon. We are still #7 for POP in the United States and all this as more and more folks discover our songs and like them! Thank you! We have cut back on our song promotions, so folks are discovering them on their own, and also telling their friends!

Because of Covid, we have been unable to do any studio recording since 2019, and we do have a wonderful music project in the works--an audio book with music, about the life and times of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of one of his earliest disciples--a teen.

I was getting ready to record it with the music when the virus hit full force. Prayers we all survive this and can resume our regular lives. Meantime, as we hunker down, please enjoy our tunes here for free! Or you can purchase many of our MP3s on Apple, Amazon and CD Baby, for only 99 cents each.

Cheers!

Hello Friends:

Many of you have been asking for new material and today I have a treat for you. People of Faith know that celebrations of Holy Week are going on around the world, leading to Easter Sunday. Most of us are hunkered down, isolating ourselves as a worldwide pandemic rages. What better time to introduce a song about faith?

In my last newsletter, I mentioned my musical about the life and times of Jesus. Gimme Cracked Corn, which many of you have already discovered and liked--we keep getting many, many plays of this original song recorded in Nashville---is one of the songs from this original musical. Today, as a special treat, I am introducing another tune from the musical, Keep the Faith.

This is the song that begins Act II, after the horror of the crucifixion when the disciples are bewildered and frightened, and wonder what will happen next. Early on the first Easter morning, an Angel of the Lord appears to the disciples and sings to them as they sleep. He is the first to foretell the magic of that Easter morning, as he sings to them: Keep the Faith. Britt Savage in Nashville added her backing vocals to my vocal, to give it a gospel feel. I hope and trust you will like this song, and that it will remind us how we should always trust in God, and Keep the Faith!

Peace!

In these tough times, music is a much needed tonic. So glad so many of you have discovered our songs and are adding them to your playlists. Thank you for being part of our musical journey!

We have had more than 2-million profile views, and more than 1-million, 600,000 song plays here. Glad you are liking Gimme Cracked Corn, our song about the second coming of Jesus....and our rocker, Daddy's Comin' Home with that great guitar solo by George Marinelli of the Bonnie Raitt band, recorded in Nashville.

We have over 3,000 subscribers now and I hope you will catch us on Spotify, SoundCloud and check out my Facebook page. Once this storm is over, we plan to be back in the studio, recording some new tunes!

And our musical about the life and times of Jesus Christ is taking on a life of its own with a commitment to stage it this November! We will keep you posted, and yes, Gimme Cracked Corn is a major song in the production!

Cheers!

Another milestone reached here on link! Over one million, five hundred thousand song plays and our best-ever chart positions this past week with #1 for POP in the US and #2 Globally! Thank you, thank you for your enthusiasm and your support as we continue to move our music into the mainstream!

Our Country song, WORKIN', chosen for the BWH Music Group's Compilation Album, Keepin' it Country....continues to get great fan support and still tops the Country chart in Oregon. And it charts high nationally on the Country chart as well. Also note the high chart position for Acoustic for our acoustic version of the Paul Simon classic, Bridge Over Troubled Water.

If you haven't yet sampled our music, please do so, and tell your friends! If you like it, please purchase from Amazon, or iTunes or CD Baby.

And thank you again for being a part of our musical journey!

Cheers!

A great review in Indie Spoonful, and national airplay on Indie Radio for our song Workin' which continues to chart high in Oregon on link! Here is the review:


By Sylvie Marie:
BWH Music Group’s Keepin' It Country, Vol. One, by Various Artists, contains an eclectic mix of 17 songs by today's best independent Country artists and songwriters. With great storytelling and heart-felt performances at the core of each song, the album spans traditional and contemporary Country music. Off the compilation, Billy Ray Deiz' song "Workin" is a song for our times.

A deep bass, drums and strumming acoustic guitar set the stage for Billy Ray Deiz’ song “Workin’. The social justice song sings the battle cry for working men and women with a strong folk-rock flavor recalling the great protests songs and freedom writers of the 60’s. Billy Ray commences the first verse with “On the road again, my American dream is fadin.' His voice is larger than life, warm and inviting. He sings with great passion and expression giving the song tremendous vibrancy.



Musically the song is highly melodic. The catchy chorus has a great hook that folks can join in and sing along. “Cause I'm workin', morning, noon and night Workin' trying to make it right Workin' for my company Workin' so my kids can eat.” Tasteful guitar leads pick up the melodic lines and soar with emotion.


With lyrics that too many can fully relate to, “Workin" covers today’s troubled balance of power and wealth through the story of an American truck driver who is missing his kids grow up and working overtime just so his family can eat. Billy's lyrics paint a vivid, heart-moving picture that you won't soon forget. Billy is a great story-teller and, at the heart of his song-writing, the small details stop you in your tracks and make you think. “Missy's braces broke, while my engine smoked, north of Fresno. Sally's holdin' on, while I drive this to link.” You can just picture a father driving across country, working as many hours as he can, and wondering how he will pay for his daughter's braces. The song ends with Billy saying, “Dam...missed Christmas again.” The price paid by today's working man/woman is more than material; it is not being able to spend, even one special day a year, with your family.

Please take a moment to watch the stirring video of "Workin."

“Workin’” is a song that is long over-due. Billy Rae Deiz has introduced a song into the American social justice songbook that is timeless, heart-felt, and important. “Workin’” has guts, heart and soul and it’s delivered with passion and purpose.