Billy Ray Deiz
United States, Oregon, Portland
Billy Ray Deiz
My WW2 historical thriller The Man from Tuskegee is free on Kindle Unlimited. Getting 5-star reviews:
"I normally don't read war stories...I love this book."
"...inspiring."
"...would love to see on the big screen."
Shot down behind enemy lines Tuskegee Airman Bob Dale must save the little Jewish children in his care!
My novel about a WW2 hero, Tuskegee Airman Bob Dale has reached best seller status several times on Amazon Kindle for historical thrillers. This page turner is fact based fiction and readers tell me it is inspirational. I invite you to read my ebook and thank you!
Read moreGetting great reviews for my ebook, The Man from Tuskegee, a WW2 historical thriller with true heroism in the face of terrible war crimes. I invite you to read in Amazon Kindle. Cheers!
Read moreMy new novel on Amazon Kindle is generating both buzz and sales. It's a thriller that features a Black airman, a Tuskegee Airman, who is shot down over Northern Italy shortly after the D-Day landings in Normandy in WWII. In his fight to survive he is led to an orphanage, just as Nazi SS troops, are closing in on seven little Jewish children who are hiding their. Suddenly his mission takes on an urgency than saving his own life--these little children must be saved! One reviewer says this book would make a great movie, and I have even written a theme song to go with it!
Read moreHello friends!
My first novel, a WWII thriller, THE MAN FROM TUSKEGEE, just went live on Amazon Kindle as an ebook. My plan is to do it also as an audio book with music! A theme I have written will be part of the audio book, as in the movie Bridge over the River Kwai.
I think this novel about a Black Tuskegee Airman whose plane is shot down over Italy shortly after the D-D Landings, will make a great movie, but you can read it now with special pricing for all my fans. As Tuskegee Airman Bob Dale struggles to survive he is led to an orphanage where seven little Jewish children are hiding from the Nazis, and suddenly he takes on a mission larger than his own life: save these innocent kids from the Nazi death camps. I think you'll enjoy this fact-based fiction, inspired by the heroics of our soldiers and Airmen of all colors in WWII.
Here is the link to my Author page on Amazon and thank you for your support!
link
Tuskegee Airman Bob Dale never pictured himself on the ground fighting for his survival. Yet there he was after his plane was shot down in Northern Italy. He stumbles upon a nun and partisan who guide him to safety at an orphanage just as Nazi SS troops are closing in on seven little Jewish children hiding there. Suddenly, more than just his own life is at stake as he must save these kids from the Nazi death camps.
Read more
So many have asked for a memoir of my days with The Seven Souls, the band that also launched Bob Welch and his turn with Fleetwood Mac and career as a Platinum selling solo artist.
I am in final edits for Malibu Magic--the Birth of the Seven Souls.
Turning into quite a read. Watch for it!
Our hits are still going strong in Oregon, with several of our songs still in the top 10 for POP, and we stand at #1 for POP in Oregon. We are still #7 for POP in the United States and all this as more and more folks discover our songs and like them! Thank you! We have cut back on our song promotions, so folks are discovering them on their own, and also telling their friends!
Because of Covid, we have been unable to do any studio recording since 2019, and we do have a wonderful music project in the works--an audio book with music, about the life and times of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of one of his earliest disciples--a teen.
I was getting ready to record it with the music when the virus hit full force. Prayers we all survive this and can resume our regular lives. Meantime, as we hunker down, please enjoy our tunes here for free! Or you can purchase many of our MP3s on Apple, Amazon and CD Baby, for only 99 cents each.
Cheers!
Hello Friends:
Many of you have been asking for new material and today I have a treat for you. People of Faith know that celebrations of Holy Week are going on around the world, leading to Easter Sunday. Most of us are hunkered down, isolating ourselves as a worldwide pandemic rages. What better time to introduce a song about faith?
In my last newsletter, I mentioned my musical about the life and times of Jesus. Gimme Cracked Corn, which many of you have already discovered and liked--we keep getting many, many plays of this original song recorded in Nashville---is one of the songs from this original musical. Today, as a special treat, I am introducing another tune from the musical, Keep the Faith.
This is the song that begins Act II, after the horror of the crucifixion when the disciples are bewildered and frightened, and wonder what will happen next. Early on the first Easter morning, an Angel of the Lord appears to the disciples and sings to them as they sleep. He is the first to foretell the magic of that Easter morning, as he sings to them: Keep the Faith. Britt Savage in Nashville added her backing vocals to my vocal, to give it a gospel feel. I hope and trust you will like this song, and that it will remind us how we should always trust in God, and Keep the Faith!
Peace!
Keep the Faith04:06
In these tough times, music is a much needed tonic. So glad so many of you have discovered our songs and are adding them to your playlists. Thank you for being part of our musical journey!
We have had more than 2-million profile views, and more than 1-million, 600,000 song plays here. Glad you are liking Gimme Cracked Corn, our song about the second coming of Jesus....and our rocker, Daddy's Comin' Home with that great guitar solo by George Marinelli of the Bonnie Raitt band, recorded in Nashville.
We have over 3,000 subscribers now and I hope you will catch us on Spotify, SoundCloud and check out my Facebook page. Once this storm is over, we plan to be back in the studio, recording some new tunes!
And our musical about the life and times of Jesus Christ is taking on a life of its own with a commitment to stage it this November! We will keep you posted, and yes, Gimme Cracked Corn is a major song in the production!
Cheers!
About Billy Ray Deiz
BILLY RAY DEIZ…ARTIST BIO
Called the "Prince of Pop" Billy Ray has been singing and performing since his teens. Before the Michael Jackson era Billy was a founding member of the Seven Souls, one of L-A's stellar soul bands of the 60's and 70's and the launching pad for Bob Welch who went on to fame with Fleetwood Mac.
We are delighted to be here and thank you all for your support and for the great ranking we're getting for our songs and all the plays!
You can also sample our discography on our website here: link.
And also check us out on our YouTube channel here: link
So many of you are discovering our new covers of Angel from Montgomery and Bridge Over Troubled Water which are now available on Amazon Prime Music and iTunes as digital singles. A nice review and q and a from Skope Magazine here:
link
Meanwhile my Nashville-produced original, Workin' has caught the favor of many of you and it is for sale on our Freedom's Call EP on iTunes and Amazon. Please add it to your collection!
We're also starting a service for songwriters and performers: WikiTunes....head over to link and sample our page to promote YOU....for free! You supply one free download for your fans and key links and your story and we'll post it for you!
--More background on my 50 year career in the music business:
--In the summer of 1965 the Soul band that Bill Deiz helped form in his basement, The Harlequins, left Portland for Los Angeles. (Their guitar player, Bob Welch, would later find fame with Fleetwood Mac.)
--Shortly after their arrival, Bob arranged for an audition with songwriters Jay Livingston and Ray Evans while the band performed at a Los Angeles nightclub. (Among their many hits were Silver Bells, Que Sera Sera, and Tammy’s in Love).This led to the band recording demos of several new Livingston and Evans songs at Hollywood’s legendary Goldstar Studio. At this session was music publisher Larry Shayne who also shared an office with Henry Mancini in the Sunset and Vine Tower.
-Shayne immediately signed on as the band’s manager, and came up with a new name for the group: The Seven Souls. Shayne guided the band to a record contract with Loma Records, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, and he signed Gerry Perrenchio as the band’s agent. Perrenchio also represented The Righteous Brothers.
--When Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Brothers got married later that year his wedding reception was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The Seven Souls were chosen to play at this gala event, which included a who’s who of the music industry as guests, including Dick Clark of American Bandstand fame.
--Because of the Vietnam War drummer Ron Edge and Bill, who sang and played bass with the band, were drafted and forced to leave the band just as the group was about to tour Europe. A song that Deiz co-wrote with sax player Henry Moore, “I Still Love You” has become a Northern Soul classic, very popular in the UK… It was re-released recently by Sony on a compilation album.
--As a BMI songwriter, Deiz has written and published dozens of songs. In 2006, his song Rather Have Sooner was chosen as a finalist in the Chris Austin songwriter’s competition. Deiz performed it live at Merlefest, a popular music festival in North Carolina, where it was awarded #3 in the Nation in its category.
--In 2008 his Nashville-produced song Carolina Blue was chosen as a finalist in the UK Songwriting competition where it received one of the highest scores from the judges in the country/folk category.
--In 2013 Blue Pie Records released Anthology of Blues, Vol. 2 which is now for sale worldwide including on iTunes. The label chose “Daddy’s Comin’ Home” by Deiz as the lead single on this compilation album. The Nashville-recorded tune features George Marinelli of the Bonnie Raitt Band on lead guitar with a vocal by Deiz and backing vocals by Britt Savage.
--Deiz currently is writing and recording a musical, the story of Jesus as told by two teens, a brother and a sister, who become disciples during Jesus’ time on earth. The rock musical features several new songs recorded in Nashville which showcase some of the country’s best musicians.
Troubled by the hate filled rhetoric in today’s political scene and speaking truth to power, Deiz recorded Freedom’s Song--Look Out My Window, to warn of the dangers of this country’s drift towards dictatorship. Its message is clear, fueled by the soul-stirring arrangement featuring Hammond B-3 and Fender guitars and a horn part that makes you move. Our Freedom’s Call EP features some of my best tunes and showcases Freedom’s Song.
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