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By Naja Rayne, People Magazine
10/07/2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nYhDvktiJo
Country and pop singer Billy Joe Royal has died aged 73, multiple reports confirm.According to NBC’s Nashville affiliate WSMV.com, Royal unexpectedly died in his sleep at his home in North Carolina on Tuesday.In the sixties, Royal was signed to Columbia Records where he released hits like “Down in the Boondocks,” “I Knew You When,” and “Cherry Hill Park,” which was his last hit in the Top-40 charts, according to Billboard.
After getting a brief taste of success, Royal reportedly moved through multiple smaller labels before settling down with Atlantic Records in Nashville.
According to Billboard the singer’s most recent project was an album released in 2009 titled, “His First Gospel Album.” Royal was added to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988.
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If for nothing else, Billy should be remembered for nurturing the future career of Joe South.
Down In the Boondocks was written by Joe (who, himself, recently passed away) and led other artists such as Deep Purple (Hush) to cover his tunes. That gave Joe the impetus to further his own singing career and his self-written Games People Play won a Grammy and helped guarantee him a string of follow-on hits.
Billy Joe, of course, took a few years off and rebounded with Cherry Hill Park. My fave Billy Joe tune remains I Knew You When.