<p>"The Hand that Rocks the Guitar"<br /><br />For three decades, his axe has been in hand, sharpening a fine edge to his musical skills. Billy Connally has created his own blend of hard guitar rock, neo-grunge, and post modern rock. He describes his music as “Heavy Grooving Atmospheric Guitar Rock” and has been recognized as a cross between Joe Satriani and Alice in Chains. For the casual listener and musical connoisseur alike, listening to Billy's debut CD release, “The Silent Canvas,” is anything but silent. Indeed, it is an audio tapestry for the listener who can appreciate a sophisticated venture into hard rock impressionism.<br /><br />His lines play out like well stated prose, with lyrical speed and intensity permeating the musical voyage into theory and interpretation. Well evident is Billy's brilliant, unique expressions in his skill-set. Moreover, one can hear the influences he maintains as significant, learning from the stylings of players such as Page, Vai, Gilmour and Malmsteen. He notes his love for the music of Led Zeppelin, Styx, AC/DC, Pink Floyd and the Cars, in addition to Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Blue Oyster Cult and Soundgarden, as examples. Divergent tastes such as these are reflected in his writing and playing. If you enjoy guitar rock of this caliber, Billy Connally is your man!<br /><br />Since the age of fourteen, like all great musicians, Billy has striven for development of his style and virtuosity, which has resulted in being poised to explode onto the world stage from his well established west coast environs. Having opened to serious accolades for the likes of Pat Travers, Jason Bonham, Yngwie Malmsteen, Gary Hoey, L.A. Guns, and Quiet Riot, Billy's commitment to songwriting and playing leave the listener begging for more. He creates with his high-end tonalities and intricate arpeggiating spread across the canvas. All the while, he clearly states that musicality is more important than speed. Beyond proficient, Billy is in the small world of the elite guitarist, most definitely a gift to our ears. This brief overview may not convince you, but Billy's playing certainly will! Please take the time to explore “the hand that rocks the guitar,” the wonderfully creative world of the edgy Billy Connally!<br /><br />''Billy's style is very much that of a rock fan through and through, and name-checking many of his influences reveals a love for the classic rock and metal players which are clearly evident in his compositions. As you might expect for a modern guitarist he's got all the technical chops you could wish for and a great line in expressive bends as well as an ear for a riff. In fact I don't think there's a song on the album that doesn't have at least a couple of ear-catching riffs and chord progressions forming it's backbone!'' ~Shred Reviews/June 2010</p>
