About
Welcome to the world of singer/songwriter and guitarist Billy Nielsen. His songs have a contemporary folk edge; with a style sitting somewhere 'transatlantic' between Americana and British folk/rock traditions, his songs range from moving ballads to rootsy southern blues/rock or country/bluegrass tinged works. Over the years he has shared stages with some of the finest artists in the folk/rock world including Eliza Carthy, Vin Garbutt, Kieran Halpin, guitar virtuosos Jon Gomm, Nick Harper and the late great Isaac Guillory. Emerging as a young songwriter in the mid-nineties, during this time he played throughout the UK including London venues, The 12 Bar Club, Mean Fiddler, Rock Garden, and Marquee Cafe at an exciting time in the acoustic music scene. His writing evolved having being influenced by the roots and folk/rock based music of contemporaries in particular Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin and his guitarist Chris Jones with whom Billy played many concerts. He cites more influence from classic UK folk artists such as; Nick Drake, John Martyn, Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson and Martin Simpson, as well as classic blues artists and country acts such as Brad Paisley. As an audience member, he once took part in an impromptu guitar jam with Squeeze frontman Glenn Tilbrook at one of his shows, people thought it was a stunt but it wasn't! He is known for his 'electric' live shows either solo, featuring his guitar and loop skills or with the energy of a full band. Catch him where you can!
“ With only an acoustic guitar, harmonica, and a few effects pedals, Nielsen's sound is incredibly expansive and if you closed your eyes you would swear you were listening to two or three performers in unison. His impeccable musical dexterity coupled with his song writing talents make him a performer who must be seen live. ” - Scarborough Review
Early Days
Billy has been writing and performing for over 30 years. As an early teenage rock and roll upstart, like many before him he was inspired by the guitar playing of Chuck Berry having seen the biopic film of the rock and roll legend, "Hail, Hail Rock and Roll". The film would become his 'guitar bible' and he learned by watching the video tape he had repeatedly, featuring Chuck and other players such as Eric Clapton, Robert Cray and Keith Richards. By the age of 12 he was performing iconic rock and roll songs in school concerts, and was lucky to have a supportive music teacher Mr Turner who arranged big band versions of Blue Suede Shoes and other songs for Billy to lead a full jazz orchestra to hundreds of people. This was followed by summer season performances in his hometown of Scarborough, England, culminating in two seasons on a Swinging Sixties show at the legendary Futurist Theatre where he played to over 2000 people aged 13! Opening shows on a bill of 60's British music legends including; Jet Harris (The Shadows), Heinz (Tornados), Screaming Lord Sutch, Unit 4 Plus 2, Brian Poole (The Tremeloes) and 70's rock and roll band Showaddywaddy.