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had claimed authorship of the song and signed a publishing contract with Third Story Music of Los
Angeles. This led to negotiations that resulted in Roberts retrieving his author's rights, but it did not prevent numerous recordings being released that named several other songwriters, in addition to
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261:. It was there that he composed the song "Hey, Joe," which he copyrighted in 1962. Early the same year, after a brief and turbulent marriage, Roberts traveled to
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to undergo rehabilitation. Roberts did not perform or record subsequently, but he held copyrights on nearly 100 songs. He died on
October 7, 2017.
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While residing in the Bay Area, Roberts performed in many of the local clubs and as the opening act for the
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In 1965, Roberts was alerted by a friend to a recording of "Hey Joe" by the
Southern California rock band,
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where he again played in coffeehouses. It would become his base of operations for the rest of his career.
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in San
Francisco, but in 1968, decided to be a drummer, performing with the Billy Roberts Blues Band.
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In 1964-1965, Roberts was part of a San
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After a serious car accident in the early 1990s, Roberts was hospitalized for a time in
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Roberts, Jr. William M. "Billy": Age 81, of
Atlanta, passed away October 7, 2017.
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but left school for the life of an itinerant musician. He learned to play the
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was very likely in the audience, serving a term for a drug charge.
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Born: August 16, 1936 in
Greenville, SC; Died: October 17, 2017.
508:. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 41.
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with the band Grits, which he produced with Hillel Resner.
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and Lyn
Shepard). Signed by David Allen, manager of the
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the
Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
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53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
622:"1968's Sky River Rock Festival revisited Friday"
399:In 1975, Roberts recorded the country rock album
425:recorded a version of "Hey Joe" (on the 1974 LP
374:. His friend Dino Valenti was also on the bill.
530:"Billy Stapleton Guitar Stories: Billy Roberts"
214:and musician credited with composing the 1960s
245:, on which he claimed to have been tutored by
442:at the time of his death on October 7, 2017.
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265:to obtain a divorce. After that, he went to
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16:For other people named Billy Roberts, see
710:Musicians from Greenville, South Carolina
354:In September 1968, Roberts played at the
113:Learn how and when to remove this message
590:"Five decades of cheesecake: A history"
555:Music in Washington: Seattle and Beyond
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385:in September 1967. He also opened for
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51:adding citations to reliable sources
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653:. October 11, 2017. p. B5.
650:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
561:, Arcadia Publishing, 2007, pp48
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705:Songwriters from South Carolina
38:needs additional citations for
18:Billy Roberts (disambiguation)
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438:Roberts had been residing in
257:on the street and played in
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381:at the Straight Theater in
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427:That's What I Am Here For
408:Sonoma County, California
208:William Moses Roberts Jr.
156:William Moses Roberts Jr.
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432:A Street Called Straight
340:Valenti, as the author.
302:San Quentin State Prison
502:Hicks, Michael (1999).
356:Sky River Rock Festival
349:Hastings College of Law
347:left Detroit to attend
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452:Thoughts of California
401:Thoughts of California
146:Background information
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410:. He later moved to
47:improve this article
602:on November 3, 2005
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626:The Seattle Times
396:concert in 1970.
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364:Big Mama Thornton
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251:Greenwich Village
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572:"1964-11-13"
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322:hula dancers
286:Carmen McRae
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263:Reno, Nevada
259:coffeehouses
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194:Years active
186:(2017-10-07)
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45:Please help
40:verification
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700:2017 deaths
695:1936 births
632:October 27,
446:Discography
391:Bill Graham
314:Johnny Cash
294:Joan Rivers
274:Steve Lalor
247:Sonny Terry
198:1960sā1990s
689:Categories
459:References
421:Guitarist
394:Winterland
360:Washington
333:The Leaves
320:Band, and
282:Bill Cosby
216:rock music
212:songwriter
167:1936-08-16
152:Birth name
73:newspapers
606:March 17,
343:In 1967,
298:Vancouver
253:where he
229:Biography
103:July 2023
540:April 3,
478:Allmusic
318:Mariachi
278:hungry i
219:standard
675:Discogs
440:Atlanta
416:Georgia
412:Atlanta
387:Santana
223:Hey Joe
87:scholar
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454:(1975)
292:, and
255:busked
176:, U.S.
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389:at a
304:with
94:JSTOR
80:books
634:2021
608:2022
542:2009
510:ISBN
486:2023
316:, a
241:and
181:Died
161:Born
66:news
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