Check out Billy Joe Burnette, a rocker who used to call Roanoke home, on this video
Billy Joe Burnette, who co-wrote the country music trucking tearjerker “Teddy Bear,” started out as a a Roanoke Valley rockabilly cat. He was last here during the 2009 Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, in part to help celebrate the release of the CD box set “Virginia Rocks: The History of Rockabilly in the Commonwealth.” Burnette put on a strong performance that day. I sure wish we had videotaped it. But here’s a little sample of Burnette singing some karaoke while hanging on a Carnival Cruise ship in the Caribbean — it’s not his own “Teddy Bear,” but the song that Elvis Presley made famous. Vid quality isn’t the best, but even just messing around, Burnette still has it going on. Looks like he has a groupie, too.
March 2, 2011 - 11:27 AM
Look at my Uncle go!
This could be the Billy Joe Burnette who humored me by letting my 13 & 11 year old cousins, THE HARMONY BROTHERS, make a 45 RPM recording with the Tony Booth Band in Hollywood, CA circa 1970? Special young man then whom we never forgot. I always planned to look him up some day, but life pushes us along. Happy to find him apparently healthy and having fun with music.
Tad,
YOU are the Greatest. Roanoke should be Proud to have such a Man of your Great Talent.
You are a True Friend to me and all who meet you.
I am a True Fan of Yours and The Roanoke Times.
Your Buddy,
Billy Joe Burnette
Billy Joe, you’re too kind! I’m grateful for the time you’ve taken with me over the past couple of years. Great to see you at the Folklife Festival, too — where apparently some people mistook you for the late Conway Twitty!