Billy Joe Royal

Short Biography

Born in Valdosta, Georgia and raised in Marietta, Royal became a local star at Savannah, Georgia`s Bamboo Ranch in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the 1965 Top 10 pop hit "Down in the Boondocks, " which, along with the singles "I Knew You When" (Top 20, 1965) and "Hush" (1967), were written and produced by Joe South. His 1969 single, "Cherry Hill Park, " peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.During the 1980s, Royal scored a comeback with several Top 10 country hits, including "Tell It Like It Is, " "Burned Like a Rocket, " and "I`ll Pin a Note on Your Pillow."When his rejuvenated career as a country music hitmaker quieted down, he followed up with bookings throughout the 1990s in large country music bars and became a successful act on that circuit.