Interview: Billy Vera

Billy Vera is best known for his song “At This Moment”, which became a Number One hit in 1987 after it was used in the TV show Family Ties. But there’s much more to the Billy Vera story than just that song. By that point, he had already been writing songs for over two decades, including a bona fide garage rock classic and songs recorded by Ricky Nelson and Dolly Parton, who had a Number One hit with “I Really Got the Feeling”. He has also acted in various movies and TV shows, and even won a Grammy for Best Album Notes for a box set of Ray Charles singles.

This interview was for a preview article for a concert by Billy Vera & the Beaters at Yolie’s in Ventura on 8/29/14. It was done by email, with answers received on 8/10/14. (Barry Druxman photo)