Billy Falcon

Two things happened to lift Falcon out of the darkness.

A friend in Nashville encouraged Falcon to visit here for a summer, and Falcon threw himself into a welcoming songwriting community. At the same time, Bon Jovi, a longtime fan, reached out to Falcon through mutual acquaintances.

Soon, Bon Jovi was co-producing Falcon's new albums, including Pretty Blue World, which generated the 1991 hit Power Windows. And soon, Falcon moved to a house in Bellevue.

''It felt like I was breathing for the first time in six years,'' he said.

Bon Jovi asked Falcon only one favor in exchange for producing Falcon's albums: show him around Nashville.

''He really liked what I did. And he wanted to know why I went to Nashville,'' Falcon said.

''The first night we burned a hole in the ground. We went to Jack's Guitar Bar, we went to Tootsie's, and he wound up playing at the Third Coast, a writer's night.'' (Laughs) ''There were actually TV news trucks. It was hilarious. We were very popular that week.'' - The Tennessean

While the music business can be a brutal meat grinder, it can also be a source of comfort and a means of personal and creative rebirth. The Billy Falcon who released his latest CD, Songs About Girls, in early 2003 is a different man than when his first album, Burning Rose, hit turntables in 1978, or even from when his latest CD, Letters From a Paper Ship, dropped in 1994.

Falcon, a long-time figure along the New Jersey shore music scene, suffered through the tragic loss of his wife to a two-year battle with cancer in 1989. Faced with raising his young daughter alone, the weight of this ultimate responsibility, Falcon's songwriting became a means to work through this difficult period, although his career was largely stalled.

Though a mutual friend, Jon Bon Jovi, a fan of Falcon's work, learned that Billy was still in the business, and asked to hear some of his latest music. A tape eventually made its way to Bon Jovi's lead singer, and led to his securing a record deal for Falcon on Mercury Records. The resulting album, 1991's Pretty Blue World, with Bon Jovi providing guitar support, led to a minor hit with "Power Windows" and a collaboration with Sayreville's favorite son that continues to this day.

A second album for Mercury, Letters From a Paper Ship, followed three years later, with a more confident and relaxed style, and should have marked Falcon's return to regular releases of new music. But, it didn't.

As Falcon discussed in his recent interview with Chorus and Verse, a third album for Mercury was recorded after Paper Ship, but never released. Eventually, he was able to get the rights to the recording back, and broke away from the label. He shifted his focus to songwriting collaborations with Bon Jovi, and a dedication to the burgeoning music career of his daughter, Rose.

Rose Falcon discovered her own interest in music during long car rides with her dad, and began developing into a beautiful and talented singer and songwriter in her own right. Becoming the second member of the family to work with a major, Rose has signed with Columbia Records, and is currently promoting her self-titled debut album, released in March 2003, with hit singles "Fun" and "Up, Up, Up".

Billy Falcon's fans wanted his own new music, though. Fans on the Internet began to contact him, and he discovered a wealth of interest in his work. One of those fans set up a website, now the official outlet for keeping track of Falcon's career and he began working with a new producer, Michael Spears. Add the support of his brother, John Falcone, to help promote and distribute his music, and the seeds were planted for a new album.

That disc, Songs About Girls, has twelve tracks that keep true to Falcon's style and energy, while presenting a more intimate feel than earlier recordings in his career. It represents a family affair, with Rose contributing guest vocals, and is a testament to a performer who has achieved a balance in his life and a relationship with his fans and his music that should help the latest phase of his career to be a successful one.
While the music business can be a brutal meat grinder, it can also be a source of comfort and a means of personal and creative rebirth. The Billy Falcon who released his latest CD, Songs About Girls, in early 2003 is a different man than when his first album, Burning Rose, hit turntables in 1978, or even from when his latest CD, Letters From a Paper Ship, dropped in 1994.

Falcon, a long-time figure along the New Jersey shore music scene, suffered through the tragic loss of his wife to a two-year battle with cancer in 1989. Faced with raising his young daughter alone, the weight of this ultimate responsibility, Falcon's songwriting became a means to work through this difficult period, although his career was largely stalled.

Though a mutual friend, Jon Bon Jovi, a fan of Falcon's work, learned that Billy was still in the business, and asked to hear some of his latest music. A tape eventually made its way to Bon Jovi's lead singer, and led to his securing a record deal for Falcon on Mercury Records. The resulting album, 1991's Pretty Blue World, with Bon Jovi providing guitar support, led to a minor hit with "Power Windows" and a collaboration with Sayreville's favorite son that continues to this day.

A second album for Mercury, Letters From a Paper Ship, followed three years later, with a more confident and relaxed style, and should have marked Falcon's return to regular releases of new music. But, it didn't.

As Falcon discussed in his recent interview with Chorus and Verse, a third album for Mercury was recorded after Paper Ship, but never released. Eventually, he was able to get the rights to the recording back, and broke away from the label. He shifted his focus to songwriting collaborations with Bon Jovi, and a dedication to the burgeoning music career of his daughter, Rose.

Rose Falcon discovered her own interest in music during long - www.ChorusandVerse.com

Anyone remember Billy Falcon and his nice albums “Pretty Blue World” that Jon Bon Jovi helped produce and “Letters From A Paper SHip”. Here he is with a brand new album. And it’s a good one too. It’s very well done Midwest rock somewhere around the solo albums by the just named Jon Bon Jovi mixed with a more Mellencamp kind of edge. It’s as I said well done and the production signed by Billy and Michael Spears (from the band Attraction 65) has nothing more to desire. You sure know what you get and the surprises on here are few. Still, I like it, because the song writing is very solid (Billy have cowritten Bon Jovi tunes among others) and Billy has a nice voice that suites the music very nice. The tune “Box Of Chocolates” with a vibe of Tom Petty is one killer and the softer “Weightless” is another winner.
- WWW.MELODIC.NET