Last autumn, Iconoclassic Records brought Rocky Burnette's 1979 solo debut The Son of Rock and Roll to CD.  Tomorrow, July 7, the label is turning its attention to Rocky's cousin Billy Burnette for another pair of CD premieres. The son of Dorsey Burnette - a veteran artist with recording credits at Imperial, Dot, Motown, Reprise, and Capitol - and the nephew of "Dreamin'" and "You're Sixteen" hitmaker Johnny Burnette, Billy made his solo debut in 1972 on the CBS-distributed Entrance label.  He then moved onto Polydor, and in 1980, returned to the CBS family to make his proper Columbia debut.  1980's Billy Burnette was the third such album to bear that title (and his fourth overall); it was followed up by 1981's Gimme You.  Both LPs are returning from Iconoclassic on Friday.

1980's Billy Burnette gave the singer-songwriter his first chart hit with "Don't Say No," a catchy and subtly modernized rock-and-roller.  It was one of eight original tunes on the album either written solely by Billy or with collaborators Michael Smotherman and Steve Soles.  The balance of the Barry Seidel-helmed LP consisted of blazing covers nodding at the family's roots: "Honey Hush," "One Night," and "Tear It Up."  The latter was penned by Dorsey and his brother Johnny Burnette along with Paul Burlison when all three were members of The Rock and Roll Trio.  Dorsey had died in August 1979, and his son Billy paid tribute to him in the best way he knew how, by carrying on the family name with this collection of tight, fierce rock and roll.  Billy was joined on the LP by a band including bassist Kimme Gardner, guitarist Chris Brosius, and drummer Ian Wallace.

Billy returned to Columbia the next year with Gimme You.  With Barry Beckett on board joining Barry Seidel as co-producer, Burnette moved the recording locale from LA to Sheffield, Alabama.  He enlisted the Muscle Shoals Swampers to thicken his stripped-down sound.  Guitarist Jimmy Johnson, bassist David Hood, drummer Roger Hawkins, and keyboardist Beckett teamed with additional guitarists and a horn section to add a dash of southern soul to Burnette's original material.  This time, every song was a collaborative effort; four songs were penned with "Drift Away" songwriter (and brother of Paul), Mentor Williams.  Other co-writers included Larry Keith, Larry Henley, and Ava Aldridge.  Billy and Mentor's "The Bigger The Love (The Harder The Fall)" would later be reinterpreted by artists including Tanya Tucker and Bonnie Raitt.

Billy Burnette would go on to make a splash in the realm of country music as well as on screen as an actor and, perhaps most famously, as a member of Fleetwood Mac, roughly from 1987 to 1995.  (The association came about as Burnette was a member of Mick Fleetwood's side band, The Zoo; he then co-wrote a song with Christine McVie for her 1984 self-titled solo album.  Both Fleetwood and McVie appeared on Billy's 1985 Curb/MCA album Try Me.)

Both Billy Burnette and Gimme You have been newly remastered from the original tapes by Vic Anesini at Sony's Battery Studios, and feature liner notes by Bill Dahl drawing on a fresh interview with Billy Burnette.  Look for them tomorrow, July 7, from Iconoclassic Records.  You'll find the pre-order links below.

Billy Burnette, Billy Burnette (Columbia NJC 36792, 1980 - reissued Iconoclassic ICON 1068, 2023) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. In Just a Heartbeat
2. Oh, Susan
3. Danger Zone
4. Don't Say No
5. Rockin' L.A.
6. Honey Hush
7. Rockin' with Somebody New
8. One Night
9. Sittin' on Ready
10. Angeline
11. Tear It Up

Billy Burnette, Gimme You (Columbia NFC 37460, 1981 - reissued Iconoclassic ICON 1069, 2023) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Whatcha Gonna Do When the Sun Goes Down
2. Gettin' Back (To You and Me)
3. The Bigger the Love
4. I Don't Know Why
5. Gimme You
6. Love Ain't Easy
7. Let the New Love Begin
8. I Don't Wanna Know
9. Gone Again
10. Take You Around the World (In My Arms)