< >Billy Joe Green
"Way back in the woods, among the evergreens" is where Anishinabe rock & roll guitarist Billy Joe Green (aka 'Osawi Kinew of the Anishinabe Aki-ing Territory) first heard the soothing, comforting, thick chords and melodies of his dad's, David Green's, guitar. His dad sang the country blues standards of Jimmie Rogers, Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb and Wilf Carter. His uncles Cecil and especially 'The talking guitar' of Robert 'A-Go' Green, along with brother Richie, helped fuel the fire within the young guitarist.
Ancestry: First Nations
Language: English
Genre: Blues, Rock
Albums
Awards, Nominations & Submissions
| 2011 | Best Music Video | Honey Girl | Nominee |
| 2009 | Best Blues CD | First Law of the Land - If Broken, Return to Maker | Winner |
| 2006 | Best Blues CD | Muskrat Blues and Rock & Roll | Winner |
| 2010 | Best Producer/Engineer | Nominee | |
| 2010 | Aboriginal Male Entertainer of the Year | Nominee | |
| 2009 | Best Rock CD | First Law of the Land - If Broken, Return to Maker | Nominee |
Videos
Biography
"Way back in the woods, among the evergreens" is where Anishinabe rock & roll guitarist Billy Joe Green (aka 'Osawi Kinew of the Anishinabe Aki-ing Territory) first heard the soothing, comforting, thick chords and melodies of his dad's, David Green's, guitar. His dad sang the country blues standards of Jimmie Rogers, Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb and Wilf Carter. His uncles Cecil and especially 'The talking guitar' of Robert 'A-Go' Green, along with brother Richie, helped fuel the fire within the young guitarist.
Billy Joe was then, just in the nick of time, yanked from a dull life of schoolboy drudgery and incompleteness by his guitar mentor and life-long friend, Martin Tuesday. Still in his teens, he was asked to perform with a fiery group of young Indian musicians who called themselves 'the FEATHERMEN'. He jumped at the chance and it changed his life forever. He entered the group on second guitar but soon learned all the songs and was quickly exchanging and weaving lead guitar lines with Martin Tuesday. After a struggling two year stint with 'the FEATHERMEN', Billy Joe, armed only with a pair of sunglasses, a fake i.d. and a Les Paul Jr., advanced quickly into the ranks of the then flourishing barroom scene, learning how to play and survive the life of a bluesman.
As one of Canada's premier blues guitar slingers, Billy Joe earned his rambunctious, no frills approach to the guitar honestly, as a rockin' swaggering sideman for such acts as THE FEATHERMEN, JACK'S SCOUTS, CHEZ BOJECK, WHYTEFEATHER, KID SILVER BAND, WILL JOE TRAVEL EXPEDITION, ALEX PARENTEAU BAND, PERCY TUESDAY, ROBBIE BRASS and countless other then main stream configurations of bluesy, rockin', high voltage, loud and progressive bands. He's worked with the drive & passion that would frustrate most musicians throughout western Canada and for a time in the western USA, patiently & diligently trying to find a place for his music. Billy Joe has been described as 'an incredibly talented, diverse and well-traveled musician' by John Scoles for SCENE Roots & Blues Magazine, and the description is well-earned
Three decades later, with a brand new CD/DVD (FIRST LAW OF THE LAND) and four other CDs under his belt, three JUNO nominations, a five win sweep at the 2006 Winnipeg Blues.Com Music Awards, a Best Blues CD Award at the inaugural 2006 Aboriginal People's Choice Awards, the Best Male Artist at the 2002 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a Best Aboriginal Recording Award at the 2001 Western Canadian Music Awards and countless other nominations, Billy Joe still pursues his love, passion and devotion for the electric guitar.
