Billy Vera (born William Patrick McCord; May 28, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, and

music historian Music history, sometimes called historical musicology, is a highly diverse subfield of the broader discipline of musicology that studies music from a historical point of view. In theory, "music history" could refer to the study of the history of ...

. He has been a singer and songwriter since the 1960s, his most successful record being "

At This Moment "At This Moment" is a song written by Billy Vera and recorded live by Vera and his band under the name Billy Vera & the Beaters in 1981, during a string of performances at the Roxy Theatre (West Hollywood), Roxy in West Hollywood, California, We ...

", a US number 1 hit in 1987. He continues to perform with his group Billy Vera & The Beaters and won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

in 2013.

Life and career

Vera was born in

Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 314,998. It is the most populous city in th ...

, and is the son of the radio and television announcer

Bill McCord William J. McCord (December 18, 1916 – January 17, 2004) was an American radio and television announcer. Born in Colville, Washington, McCord moved to Spokane in the 1930s, where he began his broadcasting career. During World War II, he ...

. He grew up in

Hartsdale, New York Hartsdale is a hamlet located in the town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,293 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of New York City. History Hartsdale, a CDP/hamlet/post-office in the town of Gre ...

, and attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School and

Archbishop Stepinac High School Archbishop Stepinac High School is an American Single-sex education, all-boys' Catholic Church, Roman Catholic high school in White Plains, New York. It was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York until the 2009–2010 school yea ...

. His mother, singer Ann Ryan, was a member of The Ray Charles Singers backing

Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987 ...

on his TV show and his hit records.

1960s

Vera began his

recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, re ...

career in 1962 as a member of the Resolutions followed by the regional hit "My Heart Cries"/"All My Love" as Billy Vera & the Contrasts. He went on to a songwriting career in the 1960s, writing for

Barbara Lewis Barbara Ann Lewis (born February 9, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter whose smooth style influenced rhythm and blues. Career Lewis was born in Salem Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan, Salem, Michigan, United States. She was writ ...

Fats Domino Antoine Caliste Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American singer-songwriter and pianist. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New Orl ...

The Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McF ...

and

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor. From age eight, he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he began a ...

. He also wrote the garage band classic " Don't Look Back", performed by

the Remains Remains or The Remains may refer to: Music * The Remains (band), a 1960s American rock band * The Ramainz, originally The Remains, a Ramones tribute band Albums * ''Remains'' (Alkaline Trio album), 2007 * ''Remains'' (Annihilator album), 1997 * ...

and later covered by Robert Plant. In 1967, Vera with Chip Taylor, wrote "Storybook Children" and brought it to

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

. The groundbreaking decision to place former gospel singer

Judy Clay Judy Clay (September 12, 1938 – July 19, 2001) was an American soul and gospel singer, who achieved greatest success as a member of two recording duos in the 1960s. Life Born Judith Grace Guions, in St. Pauls, North Carolina, she was raised ...

with Vera in a white-black

duet A duet (italian language, Italian: ''duo'') is a musical composition for two Performing arts, performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a har ...

to record the song was a commercial and artistic success. "Storybook Children" is considered to be the first interracial love song to chart in the US. Prior to this, duo

Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sister Rosetta Tharpe (born Rosetta Nubin, March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spirit ...

and

Red Foley Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the gen ...

had recorded "Have a Little Talk with Jesus" in 1952, which was a B-side. The duo became big favorites at Harlem's Apollo Theater and their follow-up, "Country Girl-City Man" also charted. He had a solo

hit single A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single, or simply hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record'' ...

later that same year with the

Bobby Goldsboro Robert Charles Goldsboro (born January 18, 1941) is an American pop and country singer and songwriter. He had a string of pop and country hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including his signature No. 1 hit "Honey", which sold over 1 million copies i ...

penned "

With Pen in Hand "With Pen in Hand" is a song written by Bobby Goldsboro and first released on his March 1968 album, ''Honey''. The song's lyrics address the subjects of divorce and losing custody of one's child, and are sung from the perspective of the parent wh ...

", which was also the name of his next album.

1970s thru 1990s

The 1970s were a slow period for Vera. In 1977, he issued a solo album called ''Out of the Darkness'' in the US, and as ''Private Clown'' in the UK. It failed to have an impact in either country. 1979 began with his song "

I Really Got the Feeling "I Really Got the Feeling" is a song by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was written by Billy Vera and produced by Gary Klein and Parton with Charles Koppelman serving as executive producer. The song was first released on Parton's tw ...

", a number 1 hit for

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

. During that decade he served as conductor for many oldies acts, including the Shirelles and Ronnie Spector as well as fronting the band at the 1972 Reunion concert of

Dion & the Belmonts Dion and the Belmonts were an American vocal quartet prominent throughout the late 1950s. All of its members were from the Bronx, New York City. In 1957, Dion DiMucci joined the vocal group the Belmonts. The established trio of Angelo D'Aleo, ...

. Before moving to Los Angeles in 1979, he played many New York area clubs with his band, which included Ben Beckley on drums, Micheal Montecalvo on drums, Tommy Wolk on bass, John Levanthal on guitar, and Joe Renda on keyboards. Living in Los Angeles and writing songs for

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (known as Warner Bros. Records Inc. until 2019) is an American record label. A subsidiary of Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division ...

, Vera and his old friend, bass player Chuck Fiore, decided to put together a band to play the local

club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises * ...

scene. Modeling their band on Ray Charles's 1950s band, The Beaters were born. They featured a

horn section A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres, the term ...

, as well as a

pedal steel guitar The pedal steel guitar is a console steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings, enabling more varied and complex music to be played than with other steel guitar designs. Like all steel guitars, it can play ...

, along with drums, piano, Fiore's bass, and Vera on guitar and vocals. As a result of the buzz the band generated from their now-legendary Monday midnight shows at the Troubadour, they were offered a recording contract by

Alfa Records , originally a publisher known as Alfa Music Ltd. and later succeeded by record company Alfa Music Inc., was established in 1969 by composer and record producer Kunihiko Murai. It was formed into an independent record label known as Alfa Recor ...

, a major

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

record company that had recently opened an American office in Los Angeles. They recorded the band live, at the Roxy (video was produced by Paul Flattery and directed by Bruce Gowers), calling the album ''Billy & The Beaters''. The 1981 album yielded the minor hits "I Can Take Care of Myself", which reached number 39 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the US, and "

", which (initially) charted at number 79. Both songs were credited to Billy & The Beaters. The following year, Vera recorded a self-titled solo album, with instrumentation by The Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section and produced by Jerry Wexler. However, Vera's record deal evaporated almost immediately upon the album's release, as Alfa Records closed its U.S. offices in July 1982. The ''Billy Vera'' album spun off no hits, and failed to chart. A small-label album release from 1983, ''The Mystic Sound of Billy Vera'', similarly met with little commercial success. Vera returned to playing the clubs of Southern California, and resumed calling his backing band "The Beaters", which featured an ever-shifting lineup of players. In 1985, a producer from the television show ''

Family Ties ''Family Ties'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, premiering on September 22, 1982, and concluding on May 14, 1989. The series, created by Gary David Goldberg, reflected the social shift in the United Stat ...

'' was in the audience and heard the band play "At This Moment". The song was subsequently featured in 1985 as a backdrop for romantic interludes between lead character Alex P. Keaton (

Michael J. Fox Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian and American actor and activist. Beginning his career as a child actor in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ...

) and his girlfriend Ellen (

Tracy Pollan Tracy Jo Pollan Fox (born June 22, 1960) is an American actress and author. She is known for playing Ellen Reed on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1985–1987) and Harper Anderson on the crime drama series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' ...

). In real life, the two wed and are still married today. Viewers responded by clamoring for the song, and in 1986, Rhino Records released ''By Request: The Best of Billy Vera & the Beaters'', which was essentially a reissue of most of the tracks from ''Billy & The Beaters'', plus two tracks from ''Billy Vera''. The single "At This Moment" became a number one hit on its re-release, reaching the top in January 1987, and remained on the charts for 21 weeks. Aiming to capitalize on renewed interest in the group, Vera continued with his musical career, releasing another Billy Vera & the Beaters album on Capitol Records in 1988 called ''Retro Nuevo''. While the album's single, "Between Like and Love" peaked at number 9 on the

Adult Contemporary chart The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by stati ...

, it missed the Hot 100, where Vera has not charted since "At This Moment". Before "At This Moment", Vera had a small career in movies and television including appearances in '' The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai'', ''

Late for Dinner Late or LATE may refer to: Everyday usage * Tardy, or late, not being on time * Late (or the late) may refer to a person who is dead Music * ''Late'' (The 77s album), 2000 * Late (Alvin Batiste album), 1993 * Late!, a pseudonym used by Dave Groh ...

'', ''

The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...

'' and soap opera ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed n ...

''. "At This Moment" propelled his movie career as he and the Beaters were featured prominently in the

Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and has appeared in over one hundred films, gaining ...

movie ''

Blind Date A blind date is a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before. Both parties arrange a date with little to no information about each other, hoping for the possibility of making a lasting impression. Typically, a family member or ...

''. He appeared in one episode of the TV series '' Wiseguy'' and had several other roles on shows such as ''

Baywatch ''Baywatch'' is an American Drama (film and television), drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz ...

'', ''

Boy Meets World ''Boy Meets World'' is an American coming-of-age sitcom created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly that aired on ABC for seven seasons between September1993 and May2000. The series centers on Cory Matthews ( Ben Savage) and his friends and f ...

'', and a recurring role as Duke on ''

Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to as ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling via his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for 10 seasons on Fo ...

'' as well as nine appearances on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...

''. These roles would lead him into singing theme songs for TV shows, such as ''

Empty Nest ''Empty Nest'' is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from October 8, 1988, to June 17, 1995. The series, which was created as a spin-off of ''The Golden Girls'' by creator and producer Susan Harris, starred Richa ...

'' and ''

The King of Queens ''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, with a total of 207 half-hour episodes spanning nine seasons. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who al ...

'', as well as voice acting on

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...

cartoons. He served as band leader on

Rick Dees Rigdon Osmond Dees III (born March 14, 1950), best known as Rick Dees, is an American entertainer, radio personality, comedian, actor, and voice artist, best known for his internationally syndicated radio show '' The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Coun ...

' short-lived late-night talk show ''Into the Night'' on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

in 1990. He also made a guest appearance in an episode of ''

Double Rush ''Double Rush'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from January 4 to April 12, 1995. The series stars Robert Pastorelli as the manager of a bicycle messenger service in New York City.McNeil, Alex, ''Total Television: The Comprehensive Guid ...

'' in 1995. During that period, Vera co-produced three

Lou Rawls Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006) was an American baritone singer. He released 61 albums, sold more than 40 million records, and had numerous charting singles, most notably the song " You'll Never Find Another Love like Min ...

albums with his friend

Michael Cuscuna Michael Cuscuna (September 20, 1948 – April 20, 2024) was an American jazz record producer and writer. He was the co-founder of Mosaic Records and a discographer of Blue Note Records. Biography Career Cuscuna played drums, saxophone and flute ...

, for

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by History of the Jews in Germany, German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it deriv ...

, including ''At Last'', which reached number 1 on the ''Billboard'' jazz chart. Vera also produced Rawls's final album, ''Rawls Sings Sinatra'', which remained on the jazz chart for over six months. Rawls recorded seven of Vera's songs, including "If I Were A Magician" (1989), "Room with a View" and "You Can't Go Home". In 1990, Vera's tune "Papa Come Quick (Jody & Chico)" was included on

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1971, Raitt released her Bonnie Raitt (album), self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed Americana (mu ...

's album, '' Luck of the Draw''. Vera also recorded as a duo with

Nona Hendryx Nona Bernis Hendryx (born October 9, 1944) is an American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Ma ...

on the 1992 album ''You Have To Cry Some Time''.

2000s and 2010s

Currently, the Beaters are still playing the Southern California club scene, and Vera continues his work as a music historian. He has helped produce, archive, and write liner notes for over 200 reissue albums and sets, from artists such as

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...

Sam Cooke Samuel Cooke (; January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distin ...

Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the King ...

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

, and

Louis Prima Louis Leo Prima (; December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he ...

, among others. Vera has been the voice for AM/PM Mini Mart commercials since 1999 and is one of the top voice-over artists in Los Angeles. "At This Moment" was included on

Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Regarded as a pop icon, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American ...

's number one album, '' Crazy Love''. Vera's CD ''Hopeless Romantic: The Best Of Billy Vera & The Beaters'', was issued on Shout Factory Records, and ''The Billy Vera Story'' was released on Rock Beat Records. With his old friend

Evie Sands Evie Sands (born July 18, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. Sands' music career spans more than 50 years. In the mid-1960s, while still a teenager, she began her career and eventually found chart success in 1969. Sands retired ...

, Billy recorded "Queen of Diamonds/Jack of Hearts", a CD featuring songs by their early mentor Chip Taylor. In 2015, Vera released ''Billy Vera: Big Band Jazz'' with arrangements by

Chris Walden Chris Walden (born 10 October 1966) is a seven-time Grammy nominated German composer, arranger, and conductor living in the U.S. He leads the Chris Walden Big Band, and is the founder and artistic director of the Pacific Jazz Orchestra. He ha ...

, a tribute to the black songwriters of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. It was issued on Varese-Sarabande Records, and Vera has appeared with a big 18-piece band in New York City, Hollywood, and at various jazz festivals. Vera returned to the studio in 2019 to record the album ''Timeless'' with three of the Beaters, augmented by some of LA's top sidemen. Vera also has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

at the corner of Vine Street and Yucca Street, right in front of the

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

Building in Hollywood. He won a 2013

for

Best Album Notes The Grammy Award – Best Album Notes has been presented since 1964. From 1973 to 1976 (the 15th through 18th Awards), a second award was presented for Best Album Notes – Classical. Those awards are listed under those years below. The award reco ...

for the Ray Charles box set ''Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles''. Book publishing came calling and in 2016, his first effort, ''Vintage Neon: Los Angeles, 1979'', featuring photographs from Vera's nocturnal hunts for old neon signs was released. His second book, a memoir entitled ''Harlem to Hollywood'' was released in 2017. Reviews hailed it as "an astounding story...the purest treatise on the subject ever produced." Award-winning documentarian Alan Swyer has directed a documentary on Billy Vera, also titled ''Harlem to Hollywood'' now available on Amazon. For BMG Books, Billy has written "Rip It Up: The Specialty Records Story", for release in November 2019. In 2020, Vera's first novel, ''A Dollop of Toothpaste'', was issued. It's a dystopian story and political satire in which the Mafia returns to their rightful place in society.

Discography

Albums

* ''Blind Date'' (Music from the motion picture) * ''Anybody Seen Her'' * ''Let You Get Away'' * ''Storybook Children'' (with

; Atlantic, 1968) * ''With Pen in Hand'' (Atlantic, 1968) * ''Out of the Darkness'' (Midsong International, 1977) * ''Billy & the Beaters'' (Alfa, 1981) (US No. 118) * ''Billy Vera'' (Alfa, 1982) * ''The Mystic Sound of Billy Vera'' (Mystic, 1983) * ''The Billy Vera Album'' (Reissue of "Out of the Darkness"; Macola, 1987) * ''By Requestː The Best of Billy Vera and the Beaters'' (Rhino, 1987) (US No. 17, CAN No. 13) * ''Retro Nuevo'' (Billy & the Beaters, Capitol, 1988) * ''You Have To Cry Sometime'' (with

, Shanachie, 1992) * ''Out of the Darkness'' (Unidisc, 1994) * ''Oh What a Night'' (Billy & the Beaters, Pool Party, 1996) * ''Not For Sale'' (Billy Vera, Chance, 1999) * ''Something Like Nothing Before'' (Classic World Productions, 2002) * ''At This Moment: A Retrospective'' (Varese-Sarabande, 2002) * ''Hopeless Romantic: The Best of Billy Vera & the Beaters'' (Shout! Factory, 2008) * ''The Billy Vera Story'' (Rock Beat, 2011) * ''Big Band Jazz'' (Billy Vera, Varese-Sarabande, 2015) * ''Timeless'' (Vera Cruz Music, 2019)

Singles

TV show theme songs

* "Life Goes On", ''

Empty Nest (TV series) ''Empty Nest'' is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from October 8, 1988, to June 17, 1995. The series, which was created as a spin-off of ''The Golden Girls'' by creator and producer Susan Harris, starred Rich ...

'' * "Answers", ''Roomies (TV series)'' * "You've Got Me", ''Baja Oklahoma (TV movie)'' * "Baby All My Life I Will Be Driving Home to You", ''

'' * "Dead Solid Perfect", "Dead Solid Perfect (HBO Movie)" Movie Soundtracks * "Enemies Like You and Me" performed with

Ruth Pointer Ruth Esther Pointer (born March 19, 1946) is an American singer best known as the eldest and last surviving original member of the family vocal group the Pointer Sisters. Career Joining her sisters in 1972, the Pointer Sisters released their ...

on the soundtrack to ''

Iron Eagle II ''Iron Eagle II'' (also titled ''Iron Eagle II: The Battle Beyond the Flag'') is a 1988 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and written by Furie and Kevin Alyn Elders. A sequel to the 1986 film ''Iron Eagle'', it is the second installment of ...

References

External links

*
Billy Vera's at Discogs

Billy Vera's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vera, Billy 1944 births Living people Male actors from Riverside, California American male pop singers Musicians from Riverside, California Singers from California American rhythm and blues singers Atlantic Records artists Capitol Records artists Rhino Entertainment artists