31 Facts About Billy Squier

William Haislip Squier is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s.

Billy Squier's best-selling album, 1981's Don't Say No, is considered a landmark release of arena rock, bridging the gap between power pop and hard rock.

Billy Squier largely stopped recording music after the commercial failure of the 1993 album Tell the Truth, but has continued to perform smaller tours, one-off concerts, and occasional collaborations.

Billy Squier is a 1968 graduate of Wellesley High School.

Billy Squier formed his first band, the Reltneys, when he was 14.

Billy Squier was planning to become a teacher but instead went back to New York and played with the band the Sidewinders.

Billy Squier served as both main songwriter and frontman of the group.

Billy Squier signed a solo deal with Capitol Records in 1979 and started working on his solo debut The Tale of the Tape, which was released in spring 1980.

Billy Squier was popular on the new MTV cable channel, where his straightforward performance-based videos received heavy rotation.

Billy Squier was known for being a perfectionist and short-tempered at producers sometimes.

Billy Squier ended his partnership with Mack after disagreements between the two escalated because of artistic differences.

Billy Squier began writing songs for his fourth album Signs of Life in late 1983 after finishing his first headlining arena tour.

Billy Squier planned to have Robert John "Mutt" Lange as producer.

Billy Squier brought in Jim Steinman, whom he admired for Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell, which he described as "the most passionate and exciting rock record of our time".

When Signs of Life arrived in late July 1984, Billy Squier was at the peak of his career.

Billy Squier dismissed both of his managers and insulted Ortega for misleading and deceiving him.

Apart from a few live appearances and a new song, "Shake Down" for the soundtrack of the film St Elmo's Fire, Billy Squier stayed out of the spotlight for the majority of 1985, taking some time off and preparing his next album with British producer Peter Collins, who was known for his work with Nik Kershaw, Gary Moore, and Rush.

Billy Squier did not embark on a tour in support of the album.

In 1993, Billy Squier released his final album with Capitol Records, Tell the Truth, with different sets of musicians performing the various tracks.

On February 17,1998, during the initial run of Mercury: The Afterlife and Times of a Rock God, a monodrama about the life of Freddie Mercury, Billy Squier debuted a song that he wrote in memory of his friend, titled "I Have Watched You Fly", on stage before a performance of the play.

That same year Billy Squier released independently his last studio album to date, a stripped-down acoustic blues effort titled Happy Blue.

The album was both stylistically and sonically a departure from his typical hard rock sound, with only Billy Squier accompanied by an acoustic guitar and no overdubs.

The year 2001 marked the 20th anniversary of Don't Say No In the same year, Billy Squier embarked on a large concert tour.

In 2007, Billy Squier appeared at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Ronnie Spector, Mitch Ryder, Tone Loc, Deniece Williams, Dr Hook, and Tom Cochrane.

In October 2011, Billy Squier performed at the third annual "Right to Rock" Celebration at the Edison Ballroom in New York in support of the Little Kids Rock charity and performed "Lonely Is the Night" with a group of Jersey City students.

In May 2012, Billy Squier joined the Li'l Band O' Gold for several shows at the New Orleans Jazzfest.

In September 2014, Billy Squier took his 'Electric Man' show to the 9th Jack Show in Anaheim, California.

In 1985, Billy Squier hired a helicopter from the Prince of Nepal and offered $10,000 in cash to two helicopter pilots to land him on the summit of Mount Everest.

In 2002, Billy Squier married Nicole Schoen, a German professional soccer player.

Billy Squier had been, as of 2016, an active volunteer for the Central Park Conservancy for more than 17 years, physically maintaining 20 acres of the park, as well as promoting the Conservancy in articles and interviews.

Billy Squier supported the Group for the East End and its native planting programs on eastern Long Island.