Cass & Billy Shine on "Honey House"

If you've been to The Track Shack in Spring, Borski's Tavern or Traditions Bar & Grill (formerly the Hoffbrau) or any number of places around the Spring area in thelast year or two, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the music of Cass Hunter and Billy Hillman, better known simply as Cass & Billy.

Whether they play as a duo or with their full band, Cass & Billy offer up real country music with a ray of sunshine. While both have recorded separately, Cass & Billy strike the right chord with their first album together, "Honey House."

The title track is a old-timey country tune, a perfect way to kick off the album. What follows is more pure country goodness, with tunes that showcase Cass’ great voice (which is somewhere between Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline) and Billy’s total mastery of any instrument he picks up; he also produced the album at the couple’s home in Huntsville. "Billy really has a good ear,” says Cass. "He can listen to the playback of a song and hear an instrument has gone flat and go back and fix it. He can pick out things no one else can hear."

Cass and Billy wrote some of the songs themselves, while Cass co-wrote others with her Nashville pals, rocking it out a little on songs like "When You Find Love" and "It’s You." Meantime, songs like "Going Places I Have Never Been" and "Mr. Pillowfeather" show off the duo’s softer side. Billy spices things up with instrumentals like the tranquil "Peace of Mind," "Twilight Over Texas" and a couple of cool covers: Cream’s 60’s rocker "White Room" and Louis Armstrong’s "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?" "We started out doing two records," explains Cass. "One with vocals and the other was Billy’s instrumentals, but, as time went on, the two just seemed to merge together."

Cass calls "Honey House" the couple’s "love child," explaining that "it was something we worked on for three years on and off. The songs have all been written during that period and took time to buy and learn to use the equipment we used to record it. The time it took was worth it, though. We’re really proud of the way it turned out."

Both veterans of the Nashville scene, Cass & Billy returned to Texas to care for Billy’s ailing father; but instead of putting their dreams on hold, the duo has forged ahead in recent years -- playing gigs across the area while still managing to opening shows for country notables like George Jones and Marty Stuart. Plus they still lead the weekly song swap every week at Borski’s in Willis.

"Honey House" will definitely make that country music lover on your Christmas list very happy this holiday season, so check out the couple’s website.

The album is also available at Hastings Music in Conroe and Huntsville; for even more information and music from Cass & Billy, go to their new My Space page at www.myspace.com/cassandbilly.

And it is still not too late to catch the band's Dec. 27 show at the Track Shack ( www.thetrackshack.biz ), located at 25811 West Hardy Road in Spring (right next to Old Town Spring). For more information, call 281-353-2017. Fat Cat New Media ( FatCatWebProductions.com )will also be digitally filming several segments for their new "Cowboy Church" webisode series (featuring up-and-coming country musicians, singers and comedians) during the show, including one featuring Cass & Billy. The new Internet video series of three to five minute shorts will debut all over the web on video sites in January 2007. The videos will also be downloadable to iPods and other portable devices, so you will be able to watch your favorites and share them with friends anywhere you go.

About Cass Hunter...

Interests / Hobbies:

Singing, writing songs, mandolin, guitar, piano, gardening, painting, theater productions, radio commercial voice-overs / jingles / production, and horseback riding.

Entertainment Experience:

Album, "Honey House - Cass & Billy" - HillTrax Recording Studio. Nov. '06.

Cass & Billy Trio: Guitar / Mandolin / Upright Bass. Currently booking in and around Houston, Tx, San Diego, Ca, Nashville, Tn, and Birmingham, Al.

Cass & Billy Band:

Mandolin, Lead Guitar, Bass, & Drums. Mar., 2000 - present.

Nashville venues as "Cass & th' Quarter Dozen": 3rd & Lindsley, JC's Bullseye - 3 yrs., Hall of Fame Lounge, Blenders, LA Lounge & Social Club, Tootsies Orchid Lounge - 2 yrs., Legends Corner, Rippy's, Sophie's Saloon, The Bluegrass Inn, Margo's, Ralph's Sports Bar, Edgehill Studios, etc...) Al, Ar, Fl, Ga, La, Tn, & Tx bookings.

Liberty Opry - Liberty, TX: Cass as featured artist & appearing as "Miss Understood" w/comedy on each performance date. Providing costumed tributes to Brenda Lee & Patsy Cline for Legends Show. www.libertyopry.com Jun. '06, Aug. '06, and plans for '07.

Destination Nashville - Nashville, Tn.

Corporate Client Events entertainer. Host/participant/organizer of talent for "Hit Songwriters-in-the-Round" Events. Oct., 2005 - present.

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center - Nashville, Tn.

VIP Corporate Client Events entertainer. Providing (singing/speaking) impersonations of Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton, original music performed with acoustic instruments, and host/participant/organizer of talent for "Hit Songwriters-in-the-Round" Events. May, 2002 - present.

Frank Brown International Songwriter's Festival - Perdido Key, Fl/Al line. Every Nov. since 1999. www.fbisf.com.

Brian Loftin & the Texas Reflections Band - Houston, Tx.

www.brianloftinband.com 5-pc. band playing the Texas dancehall circuit/Rodeo events/private parties. Variety of styles including but not limited to Texas Music & Top-40 Country. Feb., '05 - May., '06.

Lone Star Music Revue - Huntsville, Tx.

Family entertainment at the Old Town Theater. Lead vocals, harmonies, occasionally mandolin, composed & performed a comedy skit in each show as "Miss Truly Understood."

Billy: lead guitar. June-Nov. '05.

Opening act for Marty Stuart -

Cass & Billy as an acoustic duo. Private event - McHenry, Il 7/26/03.

Enduring Freedom Concert - 101st Airborne - Fort Campbell, Ky 6/11/02.

Duet with Colte Bradley & concert finale with George Jones, Barbara Fairchild, The Smiths, and LeRoy Parnell. Broadcasted overseas to troops in addition to 12,000 on-site.

Highway Legends Tribute Show: Portraying Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton during tribute and opening with original material. 40 plus performances in Tn, Al, Fl, Oh,& Wv. 5/27/00 - 12/31/02.

1st Album,*CASS2000* - Soundmith Recording Studio. Feb., '00.

Filmed Productions:

10/28/01- Backstage Pass featured AMN Productions.

09/07/01- CMT Video Dating Game Pilot featured-speaking Moore-Higgs Casting.

11/08/93- "Pair of 38's" Music Video dance coordinator BRR Productions.

Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree - AM650 - WSM Radio after the Opry.

Eight appearances May-June of 1998. Texas Troubadour Theater, Nashville, Tn.

Original material performed 4/19/97.

Crowd Appealing Sing-a-Long Shows / "Karaoke with Cass" 1991-1998.

Booked and hosted 2500 plus shows in the south-eastern states.

Highlights:

1993 - Emcee-Nabisco Stage- City Stages Music Festival-Birmingham, Al.

1992 - Host of "Birmingham Music Awards"- T.J. Roberts- Birmingham, Al.

1992 - Emcee - "Talent Showdown" at the Alabama Theater of Fine Arts

The following are examples of Nashville - area weekly bookings, each lasting a number of years: Shooters, Levi's & Hanks, Lady Levi's, Bonus Hill, Bikini Beach, Antioch Bar & Grille, Larry's Loading Zone, Greenlands's Pub, Barbara's, Lonnie's Western Room, Gilley's, and Gilley's Nitelife.

National Anthem - Nashville Ice Flyers Hockey Team - Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, Tn in Jan., 1998

"A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline" - Texas Troubadour Theater, Nashville, TN. 1997-1998.

"Patsy" understudy with two performances in the 1998 season & full-time stage manager for both seasons, as well as recording and mixing for the Ernest Tubb Celebrity Spotlight Studio.

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees - Local 46. 1996-97.

WNQM AM 1300 / WWCR Short Wave Radio - Board Operator, Promotions, and PSA Production. 4/96 - 12/96.

Commercials: 1994-1995 Dealer Marketing Shurlock Alarm lead Video 2000.

U.S. Tin Water Filter Company lead Video 2000.

Gilley's on Music Row and Gilley's Nitelife on Music Valley Drive., Nashville, Tn. featured artist. April-Sept. 1994.

Education:

* Nashville- February of 1992-2003 and still learning while back and forth from Tx-Tn. * 1995-1996 - Draughons Junior College- Nashville, Tn - Graduated. Radio Broadcasting; Summa Cum Laude.
* 1990-1991 - University of Alabama- Birmingham, Al - Business.
* 1988-1990 - Hewitt Trussville High School- Trussville, Al - Graduated. Academic Honors Diploma, 1990 Professionalism Award, Offered music scholarship to University of Montevallo.
* 1989 Publication of Who's Who in Music - listed as "Cassundra Isom."

About Billy Hillman... (abridged version)

Billy has been playing guitar since his early teens. He has formulated his unique sound by integrating elements of country, rock, blues, and swing. With his articulate finger-picking, Billy weaves melody into each song's chordal structure to create a distinct playing style.

* Nashville Studio Musician - including Monty & the Pythons "The Real Thing" featured on the Texas Music Chart.
* Guitarist for national touring artists including David Ball (8 yrs), Sara Evans, and Steve Holy.
* Grand Ole Opry performances - many times
* Televised performances on the following television programs: House of Blues, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Austin City Limits, The Statler Brothers Show, Prime Time Country, and Music City Tonight.
* Nicknamed by fellow musicians as the "wiz" in his ProTools Studio. Billy produced an album for Texas Artist, Micah Sims, in 2004. A joint project with Cass Hunter, "Cass & Billy - Honey House", is available now at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/cassbilly.