1. William Lance Swan was born on May 12,1942 and is an American country singer-songwriter, best known for his 1974 single "I Can Help".
12 Facts About Billy Swan
1. 2.
Billy Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri southeast of St Louis on the Mississippi River.
3.
Billy Swan moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to work with Black, but that was cut short with Black's illness and later death in 1965.
4.
Billy Swan then moved to Nashville which enabled him to write hit country songs for numerous artists including Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings, and Mel Tillis.
5.
In 1969, Billy Swan first took on the role of record producer producing Tony Joe White's Top Ten hit "Polk Salad Annie".
6.
Billy Swan played bass guitar for Kris Kristofferson and then signed a solo recording deal with Monument Records.
7.
Billy Swan moved to Nashville in 1973 and cut his first album, I Can Help in early 1974, which included the track "Lover Please".
8.
Billy Swan wrote the song using an RMI organ which Kristofferson and singer Rita Coolidge had bought for him as a wedding gift.
9.
Billy Swan's performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos's documentary Havana Jam '79.
10.
Billy Swan continued to tour as a member of Kristofferson's band and recorded with Randy Meisner of The Eagles.
11.
Billy Swan recorded another solo album, Like Elvis Used to Do in 2000 and another Black Tie-style album with Meisner and Charlie Rich, Jr.
12.
Billy Swan was married to his late wife Marlu for 30 years.