Billy Peterson


Billy Peterson is an American bass player, songwriter, composer, session musician and producer. Peterson, who grew up in a family of professional musicians, became involved with music at a very young age. Billy is the brother of Paul Peterson and Ricky Peterson.

Career

Early career

In 1967, Peterson joined The Righteous Brothers on a summer tour. While in school, he played bass and drums in local orchestras, big bands, and R&B bands, and toured with the Lawrence Welk Show All Stars. After graduating high school, he played bass with trumpet legend Clifford Brown's pianist Billy Wallace until 1973. Peterson was the bassist on three of folk guitarist Leo Kottke's albums in the mid '70s, and played electric and upright bass on Bob Dylan's multi-platinum Blood On The Tracks for Columbia Records.
Peterson joined the Gibson guitar staff in 1976, giving him the opportunity to perform with B.B. King, Johnny Smith, Lenny Breau, Les Paul, and Howard Roberts. During this decade, record producer and engineer David Rivkin introduced Peterson to keyboardist Ben Sidran, the beginning of a musical partnership that is still going strong.
Peterson released his first solo album, “Threshold of Surrender,” in 1981. While touring the US and Europe with various artists, he recorded many albums as well as national radio and TV commercials. These included Peterson in a wide range of roles, from playing solo bass to accompanying a full symphony orchestra.

With the Steve Miller Band

In 1986, Ben Sidran produced an album for Steve Miller and hired Peterson to play bass on Miller's debut solo album, Born 2 B Blue. Afterwards, Peterson joined the Steve Miller Band and was a member for 23 years. He started to tour with the band in spring 1987; besides Born 2 B Blue, Peterson played bass on the Steve Miller Band Box Set and Wide River recordings, among many others.

With Prince and other artists

When possible, Peterson continued touring Europe and Japan with Ben Sidran and worked on numerous recordings for other artists, including Georgie Fame and Phil Upchurch. In 1990, Peterson played on, produced and arranged Leo Kottke's album That's What for which he wrote the song “Mid Air.” Shortly afterwards, The Artist approached him to create a string arrangement for The New Power Generation's dynamo maven, Rosie Gaines.
Peterson re-harmonized Bryan Adams's hit, "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", and was musical director and bass player for Legends Rock, a three-part television concert series and documentary shot in the south of France and produced by Megabien Entertainment.

2010 to present

Peterson continues to work with various artists around the world. In 2012, he went on a European tour with longtime colleague Ben Sidran. Later that year, he and Cynthia Johnson co-hosted the Funkytown Movie, which showcases some of the finest artists and musicians in Minnesota's Twin Cities.
In 2015, Peterson received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for his participation in Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. The album was inducted into the Hall of Fame for its musical, social, and cultural significance.

Awards


Discography

For references, see allmusic or cduniverse.com.

Filmography

  • Legends Rock, live TV show
  • Steve Miller Band: Live from Chicago, video documentary
  • The Funkytown Movie, music documentary