Anthony Billups

Anthony Billups sat blind and alone in a Nashville hospital room with a handful of CDs and a hardly-used guitar by his bedside. A former high school star pitcher, Billups was 20 years old, playing baseball and between colleges in hopes of getting drafted into the pros.

Suddenly, in the spring of 2003, he couldn’t see. He found himself in a Nashville hospital with no idea why he'd lost his vision, or whether he would ever get it back. His first stay in the hospital lasted six days. He listened to CD after CD. He couldn't see the frets of his guitar, so he felt out the few basic chords that he knew and started writing songs. Music began as a way to escape the stress and anxiety of losing his sight. It turned into a lifelong pursuit. Anthony still doesn't know why he went temporarily blind nine years ago. He saw a number of doctors who administered dozens of tests, but he was never diagnosed. After two months of blindness, his vision slowly started to return "It's amazing how you can be certain that all you're going to do in life is one thing, and then you end up finding something else that makes everything before seem like a lifetime away. "It definitely led me here, and I love what I'm doing now. I think I'm a better songwriter than I ever was a pitcher. With songs, at least, you don't have to worry about throwing strikes."

Anthony says he doesn't dwell on the two-month ordeal that flipped his life around. He isn't bothered that he doesn't know exactly what caused the temporary blindness that may have cost him a chance to play professional baseball.
In the Winter of 2010, Anthony released his first LIVE CD entitled "Yankabilly Blues". In March of 2012, Anthony released his first in-studio CD entitled "Old Soul Radio". "Old Soul Radio" has a wide range of offerings; "Whiskey Mood" for those times in life when nothing will work but whiskey, "Hope You Forget" which reminisces all those things in life you hope your friends and family will forget, and "Dancin' Machine" which is sure to get even the shyest two-stepping "wanna-be" out on the dance floor!!!

In June of 2012, Anthony released his first music video on YouTube entitled "Special". Special is a song that Anthony wrote about his "special" little brother who had just been recently diagnosed with a terminal illness. Since the release of the music video, Anthony and his little brother have performed at events that benefit Special Olympics and other developmentally delayed organizations. Anthony has also released a CD entitled "Special", which partial proceeds go to the benefit of developmentally delayed individuals.

In September of 2012, Anthony was nominated for Nashville's Top 30 Under 30" award sponsored by Cystic Fibrosis. This award honors the top 30 emerging business professionals and philanthropists under the age of 30. Anthony is the first singer-songwriter to be nominated for this award.

With Anthony's amazing stage presence, he has been fortunate to play with national acts such as Luke Bryan, Montgomery Gentry, JoDee Messina, Trailor Choir, Big Smo, Leroy Powell, Dave Pahanish, and many more. Anthony has performed at Summer Festivals throughout the Midwest, the Missouri Redneck Games, the CMA Fest, among some of the big names. Anthony has been a guest and performed on FOX Tennessee Mornings and The Billy Block Show. Anthony also performed in many prestigious Nashville locations such as 12th & Porter, 3rd & Lindsley, Exit/In, The Rutledge, and Mercy Lounge, as well as restaurants and nightclubs throughout Texas, Virginia, Missouri, and Illinois.