Introduced to music through his mother, who worked on the Perry Como Show as one
of Ray Charles' backing singers, Billy Vera started out in bands in the early
1960s before turning to songwriting. It paid off instantly when the first song
he ever took to a publisher, Mean Old World, was recorded by teen pop idol Ricky
Nelson in 1965. Around that time he also penned a song for garage rock band The
Remains which, years later, became a cult favourite when it was featured on the
Nuggets compilation album and was covered by Robert Plant. A music obsessive
with a deep knowledge and love...