Billy Eli – Lace (self released, 2024)
Billy Eli’s Lace weaves classic country influences with a personal, grounded perspective. Drawing inspiration from artists like Charlie Rich and George Jones, Eli’s style is shaped as much by his years working oil pipelines and playing honky-tonks as by his Southern roots.
Produced by Ed Tree at the Treehouse in San Gabriel, California, the album steers clear of country clichés. Eli offers nine introspective tracks focused on human behavior, everyday struggles, and the emotional weight of lived experience. His lyrics prioritize people over possessions, echoing the genre’s storytelling tradition without sounding dated.
Tracks like “Hey Maria” and “All Day” bring a bright, radio-friendly energy while remaining emotionally sincere. Although Eli isn’t aiming to imitate legends of the past, his songwriting channels the same authenticity that defined their work.
Ultimately, Lace feels fresh, rooted in the past, but made for the present.
Musicians: Billy Eli on acoustic guitar and vocals; Dale Daniel on drums; Ed Tree on bass, acoustic, baritone, electric, nylon string & slide guitars, electric sitar, Vox organ, acoustic & Wurlitzer piano, harmonium; Kevin Maul on dobro, pedal steel guitar; Teresa James on harmony vocals; Taras Prodaniuk on bass; Jaydee Maness on pedal steel guitar; David Serby on lead and harmony vocals; and Jim Hemphill on electric guitar.
Author: Ryan Emmert
