- Bryon Harris
Billy Ray Deiz - 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'
Review by Sylvie Marie & Staff
Billy Ray Deiz' cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" offers a refreshing and riveting take on the Simon & Garfunkel classic which was released back in 1970. Billy infuses a soulfulness into the song that will make the hair on your arms tingle and bring tears to your eyes.
Opening the song with some bluesy piano, Billy sings, "I'll be your bridge. I'll be your bridge" before starting the first familiar line, "When you'r weary. Feeling small. When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all." Billy's voice has never sounded better. As he dives down to his deep, rich baritone range on the words, "when tears are in your eyes," it would be hard to not get teary eyed.
As the song moves forward, the grand piano is bold, but Billy's voice easily rises above the mix. This is a singer who could easily sing all the way to the back of a large hall and reach every person in the audience, both musically and emotionally. He uses his full vocal and dynamic range to give the song it's due passion.
Highlights include nice moments with tasteful choir harmonies that yield a gospel and R & B sound. Billy adds a special touch when he sings, "For you girl, I will lay me down" giving the song a romantic flavor that is sure to cause swooning from female fans.
Billy Ray Deiz has captured every element of beauty and emotion this song has to offer while adding something entirely new. His gospel-blues interpretation and gorgeous baritone voice bring this song home like an old friend.
At a time when we could all use a bridge and a friend, Billy Ray Deiz' cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" eases our minds offering warmth, healing and love in every note he sings. Bravo Billy. You can hear more songs by Billy Rae Deiz on Spotify.
For more information on Billy Rae Deiz, visit his Reverbnation page or website.
About Billy Ray Deiz
Award-winning, singer-songwriter Billy Ray Deiz has written and published dozens of songs. In 2006, his song "Rather Have Sooner" was chosen as a finalist in the Chris Austin Songwriter’s Contest. Deiz performed it live at Merlefest in North Carolina where it was awarded #3 ( in the Nation) in its category.
In 2008, his Nashville-produced song "Carolina Blue" was chosen as a finalist in the UK Songwriting Competition. In 2013, Blue Pie Records released Anthology of Blues, Vol. 2 featuring “Daddy’s Comin’ Home” by Deiz as the lead single. The Nashville-recorded tune features George Marinelli of the Bonnie Raitt Band on lead guitar with a vocal by Deiz and backing vocals by Britt Savage.
His prolific music career started in the summer of 1965 with the soul band that Deiz helped form in his basement, The Harlequins. Their guitar player, Bob Welch, would later find fame with Fleetwood Mac. The band was signed by music publisher Larry Shayne who promptly named the band The Seven Souls. It became one of the preeminent soul bands in Los Angeles in the 60's and 70's.
Also in the 1970s, Deiz sang a duet with Neil Sedaka as part of a TV feature Deiz produced on the music industry for KCBS TV News. Shayne guided the band to a record contract with Loma Records, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers. A song that Deiz co-wrote with sax player Henry Moore, “I Still Love You” has become a Northern soul classic in the UK. Deiz also appears with Bob Dylan singing background on the Leonard Cohen album, Death of a Ladies Man, produced by the legendary Phil Spector, who credits the performance in the liner notes.
Visit Billy Ray Deiz website at http://www.freedomfyters.org/
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