Billy moved to Memphis to become a sideman in 1969 and then embarked on a solo career a few years later.  Met with little success, Burnette became the bandleader for his father’s road band through most of the ‘70’s, all the while honing his writing skills.In 1982, Mick Fleetwood asked Burnette to join his side project, The Zoo.  While his career as a sideman was going strong, his parallel career as a songwriter was also hitting a stride with Ray Charles and Eddy Raven both charting with Burnette penned songs in 1985.After the departure of Lindsey Buckingham in 1987, Billy was asked to join Fleetwood Mac.  He continued this gig until 1995, when Fleetwood Mac took a hiatus.  Billy then continued in a duo with former Fleetwood Mac travel mate Bekka Bramlett.He continues his dual career path writing songs covered by a wide berth of artists from Roy Orbison (“(All I Can do Is) Dream You”) to Faith Hill (“What’s In It For Me”) and continuing on as a sideman, most recently with Bob Dylan’s Australian tour and this summer with John Fogertys’ band.On Memphis in Manhattan we find Burnette planted firmly in his rockabilly roots.  The first track, “Memphis Blues,” sets the swampy Delta tone, followed by funky takes on “My Love Will Not Change” (written by Burnette and Shawn Camp and recently recorded by the Del McCoury Band) and Dylans’ “Everything Is Broken.”Lending a hand to Burnette’s very able guitar work is the fantastic Kenny Vaughn.  Using a guitar tone similar to the one he used on Marty Stuart’s Souls Chapel (ironically apropos given the albums recording process), his interplay with Burnette is particularly tasty on the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac cover “Oh Well.” Completing the quartet are David Roe on upright bass and harmony vocals and George Ricelli on drums.  Burnette and band recorded the album in St. Peters’ Church in New York City for the Chesky label, live with no overdubs and no multitracking consoles.Burnette wrote or co-wrote, with frequent collaborator Camp, 5 of the 11 songs on Memphis in Manhattan, including the aforementioned “My Love Will Not Change,” “Faded Love,” “It’s Late” and “Tryin’ to Get Away.”  The album also pays homage to his past with the Elvis tune “Big Hunk Of Love,” “It’s Late,” written by his father, and a Rock ‘N Roll Trio tune “Tear It Up.” Ending with a great version of the Everly Brothers classic “Bye Bye Love,” Burnette wraps up an album of great rockabilly without falling into the trap of retro gimmickry.

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