The Legend of Billy Elias

Rummaging through his vast CD collection, Billy Elias’ face illuminates when he finally finds his prized possession: his 1980 recording of his bluesy tune, “You ain’t gonna call.” As his harmonica melody explodes into the song, he exclaims “man, can I play the harmonica,” with pure humility. The widespread joy on his face hinted at 50 plus years of musicianship. Like a treasure chest waiting to be opened, Elias began to scratch the surface of his nuanced musical journey.

Corsicana Texas is not a household name, but despite it being the first commercial oil field west of the Mississippi River, it’s also the birthplace of Elias in 1954. The eldest of 14 siblings, Elias and his family were no strangers to music. Elias’ father, William Elias, was a musical virtuoso who played saxophone alongside an essential pioneer of Jump blues: T. Bone Walker. 

Ellias Sr’s musical knowledge manifested in his family as they harmonized gospel in churches around the southwest, mirroring the Partridge Family. “When you grow up poor, my father wanted something for me to belong to; a foundation of love,” Elias announced. Following his time in the navy, he studied music theory at San Diego Community College, 

Finding that “foundation of love” after school was no simple feat. Along with the reliance on drink tips and constant street busking, crumbling relationships are usually the byproduct of tireless days on the road. Despite these burdens, Elias was guided by encouraging words from his teachers.

“Big Mama Thorton, Jimmy Chetem and James Cotton are the people that I played with that I give a lot of credit to: who promoted and pushed me to continue and not give up,” Billy pronounced. His current drummer Riverstone Waldorf  stressed that “Billy, has a lot of soul who’s able to really express that in his singing and harp playing.” Channeling that soul through a cohesive recording is an aspiration for Elias. 

Elias aims at recording a full-length LP, encompassing his ear-catching harmonica painted with a blues brush. Catch him live at Lucky’s Bar in Downtown Eugene to experience a master of his craft.