In 1991, Billy graduated from Angelo State Univ. in San Angelo with a degree in drama and speech: “I thought about going to California and trying to make it as an actor.” But during college, he joined a band that played everything from R&B to rock and country. Growing up, he’d loved the music of George Strait, Vern Gosdin, Bruce Hornsby and Jackson Browne.

So after he graduated, he decided to stay in music, joining the award-winning Poteet-based Tejano band David Lee Garza & Los Musicales on guitar, later moving to bajo sexto.