A Conversation with Billy Gilman – HuffPost 7.25.14

Mike Ragogna: Billy, it seems like only yesterday when you made history becoming the youngest singer to reach the top Billboard Country Albums spot. Do you even remember that these ten years later?

Billy Gilman: Yes…such a while ago, yet it seems literally like yesterday. I remember so much. Good and bad. Mostly great of course. Very lucky, I am, to have people respond to me and my voice that early on. Pretty bomb!!

MR: You also sold over 10 million records worldwide before 16. How did the media attention and all that success affect you?

BG: It really didn’t affect me. Granted I have been very lucky but my parents were key. They couldn’t care less if I’m their plumber or a 10 million selling singer. I’m still their son and they will kick my ass now as they did then. Haha. That’s what most kids and young adults need. Parents that are just that. Parents!

MR: You later made the decision to move back home with your family in Rhode Island and you’ve used your celebrity to help organizations like St. Jude’s and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Was this in some way getting back to your roots and grow intotoday’s 26-year-old Billy Gilman.

BG: Well, I make my time between Nashville and Rhode Island. Having traveled literally more than half my life I love RI and my family and friends. No one should give that up. The charity work was a no brainer for me. Seeing other young men and women and children battle every day hoping to live…how selfish could I be having done what I’ve done and not wanting to help in ANY way. It’s bigger than all of us. Those kids and adults teach me more about life than I could ever learn elsewhere.

MR: You recorded 2012’s “The Choice” for yet another charity, Soles4Souls that included many artists. Can you first go into the story behind “The Choice”?

BG: So proud that this was accomplished! My co-writers Dan and Philip and myself were writing for this project and started on “The Choice.” Knowing it didn’t fit the run of the mill song we instantly knew it was an anthem. Why not an anthem for the greater good? We found a great charity in town–Nashville–called Soles4Souls. I then realized there had never been a song like We Are The World in country music so my brain start spinning. I thought why not ask the people I’m closest to in my field of work and see if they would commit to singing a line for the charity single. I started with 4 people and ended up with 18! Never In my wildest imagination would I have thought they all would say yes. I went to Haiti to see firsthand what the charity does and what this single would provide to so many. It’s been an awesome and fulfilling project.

MR: That brings us to “Say You Will.” What’s the story behind this recording, when is the new album coming, and can you go into any behind the scenes stories about it?

BG: “Say You Will” is very special to me. It’s the very first single I have co-written. It’s like a baby lol. It was born during the time of “The Choice.” Started with a chorus and it evolved into one of the best songs my voice has been able to perform. I love the treatment of it…letting the voice and words be the front running theme. Not an over produced pop/country song.

MR: Billy, what advice do you have for new artists?

BG: My number one advice would be, know who you are as an artist before anything else. Know your craft better than anyone. Listen to your gut no matter how many times other people question your gut.Be truthful whether it be personally or lyrically. And always make your fans #1

MR: How do you picture your future, creatively and personally?

BG: I really hope this brand new path–where it’s basically me getting back into the ropes–is where I’ll be for a while. Creating the best songs I can for my fans and getting out there to the public in any form. If you love what you do, truly love it, you will stop at nothing to achieve any form of success. That separates the men from the boys. Passion.