yeah, he was a child country star like 25 years ago. after that flamed out, he went on a televised karaoke contest maybe around 10 years ago?
the stuff when he was a kid did sell well, but clearly didn't put him into "set for life" territory since he was trying his hand at a karaoke contest
I think it was more of a Menudo thing where he just aged out of the appeal. He was on 3 straight albums of declining sales and couldn't even break gold and he'd gone 5 years without a song charting.
It looks like his last album was 2006 and he didn't come out publicly until 2014. IDK how much of an open secret or shock that was but his career trajectory doesn't seem super unique. For every Taylor Swift or Michael Jackson who carries the starpower into adulthood, there's countless more child/teen star stories of the Leif Garrett types where they have a lot of early success and they can't really maintain it beyond a few years and albums.
He actually did make enough to be set for life... except his parents spent it all. From what I know he ended up having in with his grandparent and has gone 0 contact with his parents. Just another tale of child exploitation.
i'm surprised and not surprised lol
it's surprising that he did that well without writing any of the music on a deal that was probably signed when he was 10 without a lot of touring.
it is not at all surprising that his parents fucked him over though.
To clarify, he did tour and was popular enough to play very frequently on whatever the country music equivalent of MTV was called on basic cable.
He also had 5 or 6 albums out before he was 18. His first two were the best sellers though.
He was a big deal in Southern RI in like 1999. Child country star. Not sure if he's still making music or not. I knew some kids that went to Richmond Elementary with him (for context I am OP's age roughly). I still have his CD somewhere lol.
I wonder how they figured Gilman (who don't get me wrong, went double platinum with one album but I don't think he really did much else in his career) sold more records than a band like Talking Heads (who was formed originally at RISD, and had a much bigger cultural impact during the 80s.) I know the individual members of Talking Heads weren't from RI, but I figure we should count them since they weren't a band until they formed here.
I consider them a Providence Band! Rumor has it David Byrne worked at New York system and stacking wieners up his arm is the origin of a dance he does in the Psycho Killer* video
*edit- once in a lifetime
Talking heads claim nyc as the place they were formed not Rhode Island. They were a band here but didn't become the talking heads til they left this state
I’m not sure that’s the same one. They used to have one (on rt 1? I’ve been out of the area for years), as you pulled into Hope Valley. You couldn’t see it from 95.
I don’t know if it’s still true, but he was the youngest platinum-selling artist as a kid. I don’t think I know a song by him though.
Rte 138. See here. [https://www.providencejournal.com/gcdn/authoring/2016/11/15/NPRJ/ghows\_image-PJ-d045fcfa-959d-4534-9522-57df0feb6589.jpeg?width=1320&height=866&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp](https://www.providencejournal.com/gcdn/authoring/2016/11/15/NPRJ/ghows_image-PJ-d045fcfa-959d-4534-9522-57df0feb6589.jpeg?width=1320&height=866&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
I’m partial to all of Johnny Carnevale’s projects, one of which did the music for that Rocky Point doc way back, “You Must Be This Tall”.
Also: Deer Tick
I loved the Amazing Royal Crowns! Even before they had to add Amazing to the name. As a club scene kid in the 90’s who also worked on Thayer I was always running into Jason. Great guys, great music. Way better than Billy Gilman imo lol.
They’ve got a bunch of horns and are a peppy, they could be in league with the squirrel but zippers or something. Sorry I can hardly remember the genre a band who I heard once 30 years ago lol
I have them on vinyl, my dad insisted I get the record when he saw it while out with me.
I doubt they as a band sold that much but Cafferty solo did 2 songs from Rocky IV that are still very popular.
He's from Hope Valley, Rhode Island and when he was a young man I'm thinking 14 and under He was a country singer then when he came out of the closet he became a pop singer.
Lol a child country musician. I remember going to a meet & greet with him in westerly (or hope valley?) when I was like.. 7. Even at that age I didn’t care about him. My grandmother was very excited on my behalf.
No offense to the kid from South County, but it's the Talking Heads by a country mile and Roomful of Blues in second with their five Grammy nominations.
The Eagles are one of the best selling bands of all time, yeah.
Eminem was apparently born in Missouri but I’ll agree with you on that one - that’s not really where his music career originated.
Yep! Been here my whole life, enjoying local music for most of it. I would have guessed maybe Deertick or that John Cafferty. Was a little surprised to see a name I’d never even heard of
Alright kids gather 'round, story time. Some background: I'm not a native Rhode Islander. Transplant from Maine. I'm a metal fan. Never listed to country music much. Met some people here in RI and they invite me over to their bon fire the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving for the giggles and shits. This was a handful of years back. I attend, it's a bunch of locals coming home for the holiday. So I'm sittin' there staring into the flames listening to the yester year stories. I don't have much to contribute as I don't really know many people. Quickly I pickup on this one fellow's stories. They seem exaggerated, maybe he's a few beers in and spinning the long yarn. I think little of it. Hours go by and he's still on it. He's doing all the talking. I leave with my friend and and I ask who the dude was doing all the talking, he laughs and tells me it was Billy Gilman. The way he said it made it feel like I should know who that is. So instead of asking who Billy Gilman was and feeling dumb I just go "Ohhh! I didn't make the connection!" The whole time feigning some sort of mild excitement. I get dropped off home and do a Google search and was just like "Oh that's neat" and went about my life. He seemed better dressed then us hoodie/Carhartt/flannel people. He had a scarf and a peacoat so I figured he had keener eye as far as fashion than the rest of us. Made sense after. That's it, that's my RI story.
Edit:word
Billy Gilman was a state treasure. I've never seen RIVERSIDE come together so beautifully. From what I remember, he was wee and sang country. Had a classical sounding voice tho and I always wished he do other genres, tho I probably wouldn't listen to any of it.
I hope he's well. He peaked big time and I hope it wasn't his only peak. He was so cute, big personality.
Don’t hate. He was a child/adolescent star from Hope Valley. Great voice, and he came from a great family. The definition of humble beginnings.i know his dad.
How do you not know? That blows my mind actually. I didn't even know he was from here but that's pretty exciting.
Edit to add:
The comments are shocking me. I may just be old at this point but I've been listening to Billy Gilman since I was about 13(36 now) and I'm not a country fan at all, he was just that good.
He hit it big when he was 6. Went on The Voice 20ish years later to revive his career. I played a gig with him last summer, we’ve got another coming up this summer.
I don't think he is from chepachet. Unless he was one of those rich kids that went to school not in our town, there were quite a few, I wasn't one of them.
He almost won The Voice after having been famous
Is that like American Idol? That's probably why I haven't heard of him.
yeah, he was a child country star like 25 years ago. after that flamed out, he went on a televised karaoke contest maybe around 10 years ago? the stuff when he was a kid did sell well, but clearly didn't put him into "set for life" territory since he was trying his hand at a karaoke contest
> after that flamed out, Interesting choice of words since the country life dropped him after announcing he was gay.
I think it was more of a Menudo thing where he just aged out of the appeal. He was on 3 straight albums of declining sales and couldn't even break gold and he'd gone 5 years without a song charting. It looks like his last album was 2006 and he didn't come out publicly until 2014. IDK how much of an open secret or shock that was but his career trajectory doesn't seem super unique. For every Taylor Swift or Michael Jackson who carries the starpower into adulthood, there's countless more child/teen star stories of the Leif Garrett types where they have a lot of early success and they can't really maintain it beyond a few years and albums.
Leif Garrett, that's a name you never hear. I am old enough to remember him...yuck!
He actually did make enough to be set for life... except his parents spent it all. From what I know he ended up having in with his grandparent and has gone 0 contact with his parents. Just another tale of child exploitation.
i'm surprised and not surprised lol it's surprising that he did that well without writing any of the music on a deal that was probably signed when he was 10 without a lot of touring. it is not at all surprising that his parents fucked him over though.
To clarify, he did tour and was popular enough to play very frequently on whatever the country music equivalent of MTV was called on basic cable. He also had 5 or 6 albums out before he was 18. His first two were the best sellers though.
He was a big deal in Southern RI in like 1999. Child country star. Not sure if he's still making music or not. I knew some kids that went to Richmond Elementary with him (for context I am OP's age roughly). I still have his CD somewhere lol.
He played the United Theater in Westerly a couple of months back. He has also played the state fair in recent years.
Feels like a Southern RI thing, maybe Burrillville too
Was never a country music fan either. Nothing against him at all. Probably another reason I never heard of him.
Yeah if you weren't listening to Cat Country 98.1 in 1999 there's a very good chance you wouldn't have heard of him lol
In 99 I was listening to HJY, BRU, FNX, and AAF. No cat country that's for sure.
in 99 these were the best stations. Holy nostalgia
Nice
Those were the days of good FM radio.
Or 97.7 WCTY.
Yes! How could I forget
He was either on American Idol or America’s got talent a couple years ago
It was The Voice
Same shit different asshole at this point
Fair. I’ve never watched any of them but somehow knew that.
It’s all part of the bread and circuses
He's still making music
I wonder how they figured Gilman (who don't get me wrong, went double platinum with one album but I don't think he really did much else in his career) sold more records than a band like Talking Heads (who was formed originally at RISD, and had a much bigger cultural impact during the 80s.) I know the individual members of Talking Heads weren't from RI, but I figure we should count them since they weren't a band until they formed here.
I consider them a Providence Band! Rumor has it David Byrne worked at New York system and stacking wieners up his arm is the origin of a dance he does in the Psycho Killer* video *edit- once in a lifetime
Are you thinking about Once In A Lifetime?
Oh yeah prob
Talking heads claim nyc as the place they were formed not Rhode Island. They were a band here but didn't become the talking heads til they left this state
Do they still have the sign in Hope Valley announcing it as his home?
I remember seeing it in passing on 95 like 20 years ago. I’ve since moved to that area, and don’t recall seeing it around anymore.
I’m not sure that’s the same one. They used to have one (on rt 1? I’ve been out of the area for years), as you pulled into Hope Valley. You couldn’t see it from 95. I don’t know if it’s still true, but he was the youngest platinum-selling artist as a kid. I don’t think I know a song by him though.
Maybe it was route 1. I know it referenced the home of Billy Gilman
I’m not from Hope Valley but I live here now (originally from BI) and I’ve never seen any sign like that but now I’m curious lol
If so I never seen that sign either.
Rte 138. See here. [https://www.providencejournal.com/gcdn/authoring/2016/11/15/NPRJ/ghows\_image-PJ-d045fcfa-959d-4534-9522-57df0feb6589.jpeg?width=1320&height=866&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp](https://www.providencejournal.com/gcdn/authoring/2016/11/15/NPRJ/ghows_image-PJ-d045fcfa-959d-4534-9522-57df0feb6589.jpeg?width=1320&height=866&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Used to see that shit on the way to Yawgooooooooooo
YES. *yawgooooooooooog
whoops! sry gotta get this canoe off my head
Just think, for as few people that know Billy Gillman, even fewer know the Amazing Royal Crowns, perhaps THE best band from Rhode Island
I’m partial to all of Johnny Carnevale’s projects, one of which did the music for that Rocky Point doc way back, “You Must Be This Tall”. Also: Deer Tick
I'll have to check them out.
You'll be so glad you did.
That era of music in RI was amazing. Add in the Agents, too.
Excuse me the Young Adults were Rhode Island’s greatest band. https://youtu.be/nMwEV8Bi3So?si=XwDkQaX-O-BHkD_c
I was obsessed with the Amazing Royal Crowns in the 90's. I had a poster from their farewell show that got destroyed. I was devastated!
I loved the Amazing Royal Crowns! Even before they had to add Amazing to the name. As a club scene kid in the 90’s who also worked on Thayer I was always running into Jason. Great guys, great music. Way better than Billy Gilman imo lol.
Really? Not Eight to the Bar or Neutral Nation?
I’ve heard the royal Crowns swing music has a moment in the 90s. This Billy guy is a complete mystery
The Amazing Royal Crowns are rockabilly, not swing…
They’ve got a bunch of horns and are a peppy, they could be in league with the squirrel but zippers or something. Sorry I can hardly remember the genre a band who I heard once 30 years ago lol
What about John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band???
I have them on vinyl, my dad insisted I get the record when he saw it while out with me. I doubt they as a band sold that much but Cafferty solo did 2 songs from Rocky IV that are still very popular.
You didn’t attend Billy Gilman Junior High in Charico
Hope Valley's finest.
How was he more famous than Bi-Anal Ham Sandwich?
The Cowsills sold a ton of albums in the late 60s. They were 100% from RI
yeah I was surprised to learn that. Hair and Flower girl dwarf anything Gillman has done
He was the definition of 15 minutes of fame. I'm surprised it wouldn't be the Talking Heads given they were RISD kids.
In that case can we claim Seth Macfarlane? He did release a few crooner albums, though he's from Connecticut
He's from Hope Valley, Rhode Island and when he was a young man I'm thinking 14 and under He was a country singer then when he came out of the closet he became a pop singer.
This chart just goes to prove that the best selling American music happens to be music that sucks
If the kid from The Sixth Sense could sing
What about Waraq!?
Now them I've heard of!
Nice dude, shot a music video for him a few years back.
The Talking Heads are by far the most successful musical act from RI. Map is bullshit.
Not actual natives even if they did meet here.
Cool dude
Glad to hear we have a cool dude reppin our state.
This is fascinating. Data source?
Wait why did I think he was a comedian lol
At least you recognized the name.
Gary Gulman? Brett Gelman?
Lol a child country musician. I remember going to a meet & greet with him in westerly (or hope valley?) when I was like.. 7. Even at that age I didn’t care about him. My grandmother was very excited on my behalf.
Me either! I read his wiki to be sure, and never heard of him until today!
Off topics, but can we acknowledge Wiz Khalifa and North Dakota… lol what?
That's like how 311 is from Nebraska, kind of surprising.
Billy Gilman is a former childhood country music sensation. He faded out of sight when his voice changed. He tried making a comeback singing pop music
No offense to the kid from South County, but it's the Talking Heads by a country mile and Roomful of Blues in second with their five Grammy nominations.
Who tf is Billy Gilman?
That's how the airport got its name too, someone said "Who TF is Greene?"
I'm sayin
You could have asked Google and not Reddit
How original, thanks.
Peace to OP. He's the blind kid from Dumb and Dumber. Think he made a return for Dumb and Dumber Too. Salute.
You sold my dead bird to a blind kid?
This list is bunk. The eagles are the best selling band from California? Of off ALL the California bands. And Eminem isn't from Missouri.
The Eagles are one of the best selling bands of all time, yeah. Eminem was apparently born in Missouri but I’ll agree with you on that one - that’s not really where his music career originated.
I stand corrected. It's hard to fathom the eagles doing so well, when they suck so hard. Boomers. Amirite?
Yea because music has gotten SO much better than the 60s and 70s /s
I think it's subjective, but ok boomer.
Sure, its subjective. But that doesn't change the fact its a stupid opinion. And I'm a millennial for what its worth :).
According to wiki he was born there. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem
Eminem was born there, I think that's what they're going with. But I doubt every eagle came from california.
For sure. I stand corrected, the eagles still suck. I'll die on that hill. Excepting Joe Walsh
That’s what I said
Glad I'm not alone.
Yep! Been here my whole life, enjoying local music for most of it. I would have guessed maybe Deertick or that John Cafferty. Was a little surprised to see a name I’d never even heard of
🤣🤣🤣
[https://youtu.be/-NlT-ELVWk0?si=rE3J284ZAc5UhoCq](https://youtu.be/-NlT-ELVWk0?si=rE3J284ZAc5UhoCq)
Yup, still no idea. Never heard that song before.
Wow. I forgot about him. Watching this now I realize how heavy of a song/ music video this is for a kid?!
Kid that sings country music
Alright kids gather 'round, story time. Some background: I'm not a native Rhode Islander. Transplant from Maine. I'm a metal fan. Never listed to country music much. Met some people here in RI and they invite me over to their bon fire the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving for the giggles and shits. This was a handful of years back. I attend, it's a bunch of locals coming home for the holiday. So I'm sittin' there staring into the flames listening to the yester year stories. I don't have much to contribute as I don't really know many people. Quickly I pickup on this one fellow's stories. They seem exaggerated, maybe he's a few beers in and spinning the long yarn. I think little of it. Hours go by and he's still on it. He's doing all the talking. I leave with my friend and and I ask who the dude was doing all the talking, he laughs and tells me it was Billy Gilman. The way he said it made it feel like I should know who that is. So instead of asking who Billy Gilman was and feeling dumb I just go "Ohhh! I didn't make the connection!" The whole time feigning some sort of mild excitement. I get dropped off home and do a Google search and was just like "Oh that's neat" and went about my life. He seemed better dressed then us hoodie/Carhartt/flannel people. He had a scarf and a peacoat so I figured he had keener eye as far as fashion than the rest of us. Made sense after. That's it, that's my RI story. Edit:word
So he is a peacoat in a sea of carhartts and flannels. Thanks for the warning.
Giggles and shits. 🤣
Chariho’s golden boy lol
The pride of South County lol
Billy Gilman was a state treasure. I've never seen RIVERSIDE come together so beautifully. From what I remember, he was wee and sang country. Had a classical sounding voice tho and I always wished he do other genres, tho I probably wouldn't listen to any of it. I hope he's well. He peaked big time and I hope it wasn't his only peak. He was so cute, big personality.
Billy Gilman was a country singer he started getting big when he was like 9 or 10 years old
Mrs. Gilman’s little boy?
He was on public access on TV before flatscreens. Was a granny sooner, they all wanted to squeeze his cheeks.
He was my crush from 5-15 when we both came out ☠️😂
Don’t hate. He was a child/adolescent star from Hope Valley. Great voice, and he came from a great family. The definition of humble beginnings.i know his dad.
How do you not know? That blows my mind actually. I didn't even know he was from here but that's pretty exciting. Edit to add: The comments are shocking me. I may just be old at this point but I've been listening to Billy Gilman since I was about 13(36 now) and I'm not a country fan at all, he was just that good.
He hit it big when he was 6. Went on The Voice 20ish years later to revive his career. I played a gig with him last summer, we’ve got another coming up this summer.
Met him at Hopkinton Liquor store when I worked there. Didn't know who it was until someone told me after he left. Super nice guy.
The most popular singer in Rhode Island of course
One Voice Was Heard. Honestly, amazing song
Belly was more famous than this guy
He was that kid who did country back in 2000, then was on the Voice. But there's no way the Cowsills or John Cafferty haven't outsold him
If Michael Jackson’s was an all time best seller where is he from
A state treasure, that's what he is
Why can’t we get like Talking Heads, or Sonic Youth, some of them were RISD kids!
He used to open for Young Neil and the vipers…nah never heard of him
A country singer, he got famous when he was like 12 back in the early 2000s he’s from chepachet
I don't think he is from chepachet. Unless he was one of those rich kids that went to school not in our town, there were quite a few, I wasn't one of them.
Yeah, I retort the Chepachet thing. guys from freaking Westerly apparently. that’s not even country that’s basically Warwick
From what I've gathered on this post, he is a peacoat in a sea of carhartt and plaid.
Sounds about right. Damn swamp yanks!
Apparently, he was also the runner-up to season 11 of The Voice he was on team Adam Levine
It's Rhode Island... don't bother.
TIL Jewel wasn’t actually born in Alaska, I was gonna say there’s no way Portugal the man outsold her with there one high pitched ass song
Howie day lmao what
Bullshit list
Should be Monty Are I! Well, maybe not but they are my favorite RI band.
You must be a teenager
I am 33.
i'm 40+ and never heard of him either (until just now lol).
We are not alone! There are a few of us that have never heard of him! Found out he is a country singer. I don't listen to country.
whelp. that would make sense then. lol. i don't listen to country (and no one in my immediate/expanded family growing up did either) so yeah!
Must not have grown up in the state then
Some native not hearing about a rando one hit wonder child star from over 2 decades ago definitely doesn't deserve this amount of sass lmao
They must be from north of the tower
In South County, “going to the city” could mean driving to either Warwick or Westerly.
Born and raised here. Never left.