Billy Roan

Billy Roan was born William Roan Smith III on September 16th, in a small North Carolina Town, Cherry Point on a naval station base. Growing up in California with an abusive father Billy was taken by the state at 14 and forced to grow up in group homes till he turned 18. Fortunately an early introduction to music had given him a positive outlet to the misfortunes forced on him.
Billy's love for music began at the age of five where he was forced to take piano lessons, he learned by sitting on his hands and using his ear to play back such composers as Scott Joplin and Mozart, as to avoid having to learn how to read or write, but satisfying his parents desire for lessons. By the time he was 12 he was emulating known top rock artists as Metallica, Ac/Dc, and many others. By the time he was 14 he was writing his own music as well as lyrics and inspiring others to do the same. Billy Roan has the uncanny ability to capture clear, simple, catchy, and heartfelt truisms about life--friendship, love, and even death, in his writings.
In the late 90's, Billy Roan and three friends formed a top notched band "The Deadlights" who after 6 months signed a deal through Elektra records and released and album produced by Sylvia Massey (Tool, System of a Down, Powerman 5000) in the year 2000. From September 1999 to September 2000 he had toured the US 7 times 166 shows opening for such acts as Static-X, System of a Down, Type O Negative, Slipknot, Megadeath, Biohazard, Disturbed, Coal Chamber, Taproot, and others ending with Ozzfest 2000. In September 2000 at the end of Ozzfest Billy left the Deadlights and began concentrating on his lyric writing, song writing, and solo career. Leaving Southern California to be with his mother in Atlanta, Billy Roan took the time clear his head and make the changes in his life he felt necessary. Stepping back here for a second, his first band "Dial-7"had signed to Warner Brothers; he was co-writer of their first album which was heavily influenced by hip-hop, hence his current strong interest in tracking for hip-hop artists. He has an incredible knack for off-the-cuff- riffs and spontaneous hooks which enhance the already universal hip-hop style, taking it to the next level. Currently at the top of his game Billy Roan seeks to cross over to this new realm fortifying his name in yet another genre, limitation to music for Billy Roan is not acceptable because that just imprisons him to one style. Like his soul and the energy he channels, he must have freedom all the way around to do what he does best....Manipulate The Sound Waves.