Billy Swan - The bird that has flown of course

Billy Swan's role was, originally, largely invisible. He learned drums, piano, and guitar and also began writing songs. Lover Please, was recorded by Mirt Mirly & the Rhythm Stoppers. Swan's first big break was in 1962 when Clyde McPhatter recorded Lover Please, that quickly became a Top Ten Hit. Allowing Swan to write hit country songs for numerous artists, including Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings, and Mel Tillis. Swan's first album included the popular song I Can Help, a rockabilly number that topped both the Billboard top 100 and country charts in 1974. Swan recorded the song in two takes with an electric organ that Chris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge had bought for him as a wedding present. In 1986 he continued as part of a band called Black Tie, along with Randy Meisner, Jimmy Griffin, David Kemper, David Miner and David Mansfield which recorded the album When the Night Falls. Swan continued to tour with Kristofferson, and has recorded two albums with Randy Meisner. Swan recorded a new album at the original Sun Records studios, Like Elvis Used to Do, in 2000.

Black Tie - When The Night Falls

Black Tie was a country-rock band that featured Billy Swan, Bread's Jimmy Griffin, and Randy Meisner, formerly of the Eagles. Black Tie's lone release was a 1985 covers collection entitled When the Night Falls. While the project was quite brief, it did produce a minor charting hit in a country-fried cover of Buddy Holly's Learning the Game.

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