Billy Squire and The Rye are a grass roots rock band that encompasses the genres of Americana, Alt. Country and Blues. The culture of this music from the debut album Truth and Treason has come together in New Zealand after years of working with a variety of bands in Auckland and recording numerous tracks through sessions mostly out of Earwig Studios.


New York City.
Born embracing the magic of exposures to the city's life of self expression, I began a higher music education early on with the help of my friend and mentor, legendary guitar player and musician Monte Dunn.

While strumming on the Guild Guitar made famous in the film Alice's Restaurant, the belief in the saying "Your left hand is what you know, your right hand is who you are", transcended the previous techniques of traditional flat picking.

Qualities of the Americana playing from a heavy influence of the "Cotton Picking" tradition that my father taught me, soon surpassed other musical influences that found their way into my hands. Attending nearly every concert I could get to from bands like Hot Tuna , David Bromberg and The Grateful Dead, among several others, I soon found myself in every band I could get a spot in.


Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The stillness, the mystery, the cleansing of the soul through the desert was a whole other world for me. Heavily influenced by musicians like Kevin Zoernig and Pete Williams, hanging out with other like minded spirits in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, I began to find my own ground in songwriting.


New Zealand.
In the last 8 years, I've been living in New Zealand and working with several bands. This October, I am touring to promote Truth and Treason with The Rye. The Rye is Earl Robertson on drums (City Newton Bombers, Flammable Tramp), Dave Hartley on bass, Pianist Timothy William, and multi instrumentalist Dave Kahn (Charlie Ash, Flammable Tramp).

We are really looking forward to The Rye playing for you out there.

Take care and keep on truckin',

Billy Squire.

Ransom Note Music

2008

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