Billy Pettinger (born February 1, 1982) is a Canadian-born singer and songwriter who performs under the moniker Billy the Kid. She also fronts the rock band Billy and the Lost Boys and played drums in Vancouver's longest surviving

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...

cover band, the Ramores. Pettinger has been the primary songwriter in all of her original projects and has collaborated with such artists as

Garth Hudson Eric Garth Hudson (August 2, 1937 – January 21, 2025) was a Canadian multi-instrumentalist best known as the keyboardist and occasional saxophonist for The Band. He was a principal architect of the group's sound and was described as "the mo ...

from

The Band The Band was a Canadian-American rock music, rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1957. It consisted of the Canadians Rick Danko (bass, guitar, vocals, fiddle), Garth Hudson (organ, keyboards, accordion, saxophone), Richard Manuel (piano, d ...

and

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

Raine Maida Raine Maida ( ; born Michael Anthony Maida; February 18, 1970) – Ourladypeace.cc. Retrieved April 30, 2010. is a Canadian musician best known as being the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Our Lady Peace. He ha ...

of Our Lady Peace, Jack Lawrence of

the Raconteurs The Raconteurs (, also known as The Saboteurs in Australia) are an American rock band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 2005. The band consists of Jack White (vocals, guitar), Brendan Benson (vocals, guitar), Jack Lawrence (bass guitar), and ...

and Atom Willard of Alkaline Trio. Her debut release ''The Lost Cause'' was produced and engineered by

, lead singer of Canadian rock band

Our Lady Peace Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guit ...

. Billy the Kid released a fan-funded album with Jamie Candiloro (

Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American Rock music, rock and Country music, country singer-songwriter. He has released 30 studio albums and three as a former member of Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left Whiskeytown and released ...

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) entitled "Stars, Exploding" in November 2012. In February 2013 she released "Perspective" where she played all instruments and acted as producer. 2014 saw the release of "Horseshoes & Hand Grenades" produced by

Frank Turner Francis Edward Turner (born 28 December 1981) is an English Punk rock, punk and Folk music, folk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Hampshire. He began his career as the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, then embarked upon a primaril ...

and released on Xtra Mile Recordings.

Biography

Personal life

At 16 Pettinger put together her first band in which she was the lead singer and guitarist. The Blue Collar Bullets featured You Say Party drummer Devon Clifford who passed away in 2010.

Billy and the Lost Boys

After The Blue Collar Bullets, Pettinger put together a lineup of musicians and within twelve days of forming, Billy and the Lost Boys played their first concert. They would go on to release 3 albums, 2 music videos and in May 2004 reached #1 on the Canadian College and Campus Radio Charts. Their music was featured in television shows

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, Degrassi: The Next Generation and

The Collector ''The Collector'' is a 1963 thriller novel by English author John Fowles, in his literary debut. Its plot follows a lonely young man who kidnaps a female art student in London and holds her captive in the cellar of his rural farmhouse. Divided ...

. She self-engineered and produced the 4th Billy and the Lost Boys album titled "Off The Map".

Billy the Kid & The Southside Boys

Billy the Kid & The Southside Boys released 1 album in 2011. Their song "Where We Are" was featured in the television show Continuum.

Solo work

Pettinger released a five-song EP called ''The Lost Cause'' on November 14, 2008. The EP contains the songs "These City Lights", "Drown", "The Drugs", "I Don't Want to Know" and "Just Trying to Get By". ''The Lost Cause'' was produced by Our Lady Peace front man Raine Maida. An additional six songs were recorded at the same time, some of which were re-recorded for the album "Ours.” In 2010 Billy the Kid began a

crowd sourcing Crowdsourcing involves a large group of dispersed participants contributing or producing goods or services—including ideas, votes, micro-tasks, and finances—for payment or as volunteers. Contemporary crowdsourcing often involves digit ...

campaign to fund her debut full-length album. In addition to pre-orders and specialized bundles, she traveled across the continent to play fundraisers, anniversaries, birthday parties and private concerts as well as go camping, white water rafting and rock climbing with fans. The result was the appropriately titled album "Ours". Pettinger's songs have appeared in The Voice, A&E's Biography,

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, My 600 LB Life,

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starring

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and Foreverland featuring

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. She has toured/performed with

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Chuck Ragan Charles Allen Ragan (born October 30, 1974) is an American singing, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is the guitarist and vocalist of the band Hot Water Music. Ragan has also released a variety of solo material, including a series of 7-inch ...

The Weakerthans The Weakerthans are a Canadian indie rock band from Winnipeg. The band, led by John K. Samson, has released four studio albums and is currently inactive. History The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he l ...

, Face to Face and

Laura Jane Grace Laura Jane Grace (born Thomas James Gabel; November 8, 1980) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the founder, lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of the punk rock band Against Me!. In addition to Against M ...

Billy the Kid & Your Funeral

In 2023 Billy the Kid partnered with long time friends

Atom Willard Adam David "Atom" Willard (August 15, 1973) is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. His career began in 1990 when he joined Rocket from the Crypt, with whom he remained until 2000. Subsequently, he joined t ...

Alkaline Trio Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from Chicago. The band's current members are Matt Skiba (guitar, vocals), Dan Andriano (bass, vocals), and Atom Willard (drums). Founded in late 1996 by Skiba, bassist Rob Doran, and drummer Glenn Por ...

and Marc Jacob Hudson of Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers to form Billy the Kid & Your Funeral.

Discography

Billy the Kid & Your Funeral

*2024: ''I Have to Do This''

Billy the Kid

*2008: ''The Lost Cause'' *2012: ''Stars, Exploding'' *2013: ''Perspective'' *2014: ''Horseshoes & Hand Grenades'' *2019: ''Look At Me, I'm Fine'' *2021: ''There Is Only Right Now'' *2023: ''Can You Find A Way'' *2025: ''And Yet, Here We Are''

Billy the Kid & the Southside Boys

*2011: ''Ours''

Billy the Kid & the Lost Boys

*2002: ''Strong Like Prawn'' *2004: ''Breaking Down the Barriers That Break Down Your Music'' *2005: ''Breaking Down the Barriers That Break Down Your Music Remastered'' *2006: ''Yet Why Not Say What Happened?'' *2008: ''Off The Map''

References and notes

External links

*
Billy the Kid's official facebook profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pettinger, Billy 1982 births Living people Canadian women rock singers Canadian male songwriters Singers from Vancouver Canadian rock guitarists Writers from Vancouver 21st-century Canadian women singers 21st-century Canadian guitarists 21st-century women guitarists