Artist Of The Day: Billy Dean

• Billy Dean made the finals of the Wrangler Country Star Search in 1982, and then won Male Vocalist on Ed McMahon’s “Star Search” in 1988.
  
• In the midst of his early recording career, Dean also dabbled in television. He contributed to commercials for Valvoline, McDonald’s and Chevrolet, landed a role in the brief “Elvis” series on ABC in 1990, and appeared in bit parts on soap operas and dramas, including “Lois & Clark.”
  
• Dean released his debut album in 1990 with the hits “Only Here for a Little While” and the Grammy-nominated “Somewhere In My Broken Heart.” Other hits included “Billy The Kid,” “If There Hadn’t Been You” and “We Just Disagree.” He also won two CMA awards for his participation in “Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles.”
  
• Dean’s last Top 10 hit came in 1996, but he surfaced as a harmony vocalist along with Alison Krauss on Kenny Rogers’ No. 1 hit, “Buy Me a Rose.”
  
• Billy charted with “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” in 2004. He released the album “Let Them Be Little” in 2005, with the title track reaching the Top 10.
  
• His first major label Christmas album, “The Christ (A Song for Joseph),” was released in 2005. 2009’s “Billy Dean Sings Richard Leigh” includes the songs “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” and “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”
  
• Billy Dean is the new celebrity spokesperson for Naturipe Farms. Dean is currently writing and recording songs for its promotional videos and activities where he’ll be appearing on behalf of the company. Dean’s “Earning our Place on Earth” and “A Seed” are featured on a five-song EP, sponsored by Naturipe, released earlier this year.
  
• Billy Dean will join Kenny Rogers on his 30th annual “Christmas and Hits Tour” kicking off the day after Thanksgiving. The two will perform a mixture of holiday classics and their respective hits throughout 16 cities for the “Christmas in America” themed tour.
  
• Official website: http://billydean.com