Billy Joe Royal Net Worth
Billy Joe Royal, best known for his 1980s pop hit and country single ‘Down in the Boondocks,’ died Tuesday morning at his home in North Carolina at age 73.
Singer David Bowie kept his personal life under wraps and did not share details regarding any details regarding his relationships.
Early Life and Education
Billy Joe Royal was born April 3 in Valdosta, Georgia on April 3, 1942. At eleven, he began singing on his uncle’s radio show; by fourteen he had found a place for himself performing locally at a musical revue known as Georgia Jubilee.
His clear, direct vocal delivery and distinctive singing style made him a beloved country music artist in the ’60s and early ’70s, before going on to record on smaller labels for many more years – even producing his self-titled album with Mercury Records in 1980.
In the 1970s, he performed regularly at resorts in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, Calif. He left behind one daughter, Savannah Royal; two stepsons Trey Rivenbark and Joe Rivenbark; as well as his mother and a brother.
Professional Career
Billy Joe Royal was an influential country singer whose four-decade-long career began when he began performing at local nightclubs during the late ’50s, inspired by Black performers such as Sam Cooke. Later, Royal fronted his own rock band and signed with Columbia Records; producing hits such as ‘Down In The Boondocks’ and ‘Hush’ for release.
He met and worked alongside many notable musicians during his time, and was honored with induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988. On October 6, 2015 at age 73 he passed away peacefully at his North Carolina home, leaving behind his wife and a daughter behind; they later laid him to rest at Parkview Baptist Church in Marietta Georgia.
Achievement and Honors
Billy Joe Royal was an American singer known for his talents in both country and rock music genres. With an illustrious forty year career spanning multiple genres, Royal was considered an exceptional performer who took audiences by storm.
Beginning his career by performing at local clubs in Atlanta, where he encountered some of the top country and rhythm-and-blues artists of the 1950s. Later moving to Savannah and making himself known at Bamboo Ranch – where up to 2,500 people would show up every night just to hear him perform!
He later signed with Columbia Records and released several hit singles, as well as performing in Las Vegas and acting in several movies. Furthermore, his gifted songwriting skills allowed him to scribe several hit tracks for others as well.
Personal Life
Royal made his mark early on in music as well, creating an impactful presence on stage. He performed at numerous rhythm-and-blues and soul clubs where he gained notoriety as an entertaining performer; Savannah’s Bamboo Ranch would see up to 2,500 fans every night come out just to watch Royal perform.
Billy Joe Royal passed away peacefully at age 73 on October 6, 2015 and leaves behind his wife Michelle, daughter Savannah Royal, and two stepsons, Trey and Joey Riverbank.
Royal’s other hit songs after “Down in the Boondocks” included Hush and I Knew You When, with both becoming significant hits until 1985 when Columbia released his single, “Burned Like a Rocket,” which proved less successful.
Personal Life
Billy Joe Royal, best known for his 1965 hit “Down in the Boondocks”, passed away on October 6, 2015 at age 73 after living in North Carolina for several decades.
Royal was born and raised in Valdosta, Georgia. He first performed publicly as part of his first-grade PTA performance, then by age eleven was singing on his uncle’s radio show and playing steel guitar for Georgia Jubilee musical revues.
Royal continued recording for several startup labels during the early 1980s and had several minor hits – such as his rendition of Brenda Lee’s “I Knew You When”, which made the top 100. Finally in 1986 he scored his second major-label country chart hit with Gary Burr’s composition “Burned Like a Rocket”, followed by two more top ten singles released shortly thereafter.