It’s been said “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” If that’s actually true, then musician (and educator) Billy Buchanan is the busiest unemployed man in St. Augustine.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Billy’s musical web extends to several different musical endeavors. He’s working on his degree in music and communications, teaches music and hosts his own radio show. Oh, and add to all of that his performance schedule, which has him playing in venues from the Renaissance Hotel to the rooftop of the San Sebastian Winery, and you’ve got someone who’s in a position to have a unique perspective on the St. Augustine music scene.
Billy arrived in St. Augustine in 2007, having moved here from Nashville, TN. His musical influences are varied, but he cites Prince as the primary influence behind his picking up a guitar. “I can remember seeing the ‘Little Red Corvette’ video and saying alright, that’s what I’m doing.” Billy says.
Although he talks of his grandfather and his uncle playing guitar, he says of Prince “When I saw him? It was over.” Growing up, he was raised in a home with a diverse musical playlist which included everything from Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder to Crosby, Stills & Nash and Janis Joplin.
He once counted how many non-music related jobs he’s had: 26. After having so many jobs (admittedly, none of them for very long) – which included working in grocery stores, video stores and delivering pizza – Billy considers himself fortunate that he hasn’t had to work outside the music business for the last 16 years. “It’s nice to wake up and not have to worry about anything other than playing music.” His musical journey has certainly been a colorful one. He’s had the pleasure of playing and/or touring with the likes of the Four Tops, Chaka Kahn, P.O.D. and The Time.
And, while he’s had some memorable times on stage, Billy says his favorite musical experiences have actually come while off stage. “One time I was in a band called Skin Deep and we were in Los Angeles playing a competition called the Yamaha Music Showcase. We came in second place to some band you’ve never heard of. Robin Zander from Cheap Trick was one of the judges and he saw me. He runs up to me and says ‘Mate, you guys shoulda’ won!’ The show stuff is cool, but it’s those moments that mean the most to me.”
His biggest horror story? On stage at the Cotton Club in Atlanta. Billy says, “I was rockin’ out on stage and there’s this chasm thing between the stage and the audience. So I’m rockin’ out and playin’ bass and I just fall into this great big hole. I go falling back, the bass goes flying. It was bad. Bad, bad, bad. You could hear the gasp from the audience. But I got back up and my leg was hurtin’ but I finished the show.”
Aside from playing guitar (and bass, which is his main instrument), Billy also landed a gig with Flagler College radio while pitching an idea for the Limelight Theatre two years ago. He was being interviewed on air and someone who heard him suggested he would be perfect as on-air talent. He’s had his own jazz show WFCF 88.5 FM ever since.
When asked what he’d be doing if he wasn’t able to play music full time, Billy’s initial reaction is a pause followed by a heavy sigh and “Gosh, that’s a horrible thought.” He enjoys teaching music at University Christian High School in Jacksonville, and figures teaching would be his calling if he wasn’t playing music professionally.
After school hours, Billy can be found playing gigs across St. Augustine and performing further north in Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville.
Whether you see him performing solo or with his band Free Avenue, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who’s more musically inclined and talented than Billy Buchanan. And, if you think about it, that’s not a bad life for the busiest unemployed guy in town.
