Out Country Star Billy Gilman – 'My Journey Is Never Boring'

When out country star Billy Gilman appears at Boston's City Winery on June 29, it will be a homecoming-of-sorts. Gilman grew up in nearby Rhode Island, where he still has a home, and divides his time between there and a home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, outside of Nashville, where he records.

Gilman's Boston date is the first in a series that will take him to the DC suburbs, Nashville, and the Mexican resort of Bucerías, along with dates in his home state. For a full list of dates, follow this link.

Though just 36, Gilman had his break-out hit in 2000 with the hit single "One Voice" at the age of 11. His debut album was certified double platinum in the United States, and he was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest singer to ever reach #1 on the Billboard Top Country Album charts. He has sold ten million albums worldwide and garnered awards and nods from The Grammy's, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, Billboard Magazine, and the American Music Association.

Since then he has released five albums and appeared on Season 11 of "The Voice" as part of Team Adam Levine, finishing as runner-up for the season. "You can emote so well. You can draw people in so easily," Levine said of him. "What you do – you have a very special gift, and I'm just really proud and honored to have you on my team."

His appearance on "The Voice" brought him back in the limelight, but it came at a time of personal turmoil. After his spectacular debut and two additional gold albums, his career came to a stand-still. Just a teen, he saw himself as a one hit wonder, and it left him debilatated. Plus he was gay and came out in 2014 in an emotional video. He was inspired to do so when country artist Ty Herndon had come out. Gilman said in the video that Herndon's public acknowledgement inspired him to do the same.

EDGE spoke to Gilman about his upcoming show, his love of Barbra Streisand, and how country music is becoming more inclusive.

EDGE: As a Rhode Island native, do you make it back home often?

Billy Gilman: Actually, yes. I try. I wouldn't try as hard if I were a normal 18-year-old who flees the coop. If I was normal and went to college and did all that, I don't think I'd be so adamant about coming home. Since I've been performing and paying taxes since I was 11, I try to come home often. I've missed out on many Christmases, holidays, and birthdays. There's always a little tug at the heartstrings to get home. I have a home in Rhode Island and a little house in Bowling Green, Kentucky, about 45 minutes outside Nashville. That's where I record and do all my songwriting. So, I'm back and forth quite a bit. I always love to come home, especially in the summer months.

EDGE: Tell us about your upcoming show.

Billy Gilman: I'm really excited about my upcoming show. The venue is one of my favorites. It's on the smaller side, but there's just something special about it. The audience has been with me for so long; they know my body of work, making it easier to work for every moment I have on that stage. There's always an electric atmosphere in that room. This will be my third time performing there, and I'm hoping we can recreate that magic again. Performing there has always been such a joy. I believe there are about 175 seats, and when you are performing in a small venue, I think the audience understands the stories and music better because it's so intimate. I really love to tell stories, and I love to get intimate with a crowd. There will be a lot of stories and songs. I'll be performing many new songs from my upcoming album and a lot of my older stuff from when I was a kid.

EDGE: Can you still connect with the songs you sang when you were younger?

Billy Gilman: I don't know what it is, but maybe I just was sick of them as a kid because I was performing 'One Voice' and 'Oklahoma' every day and on every single television show. I believe that having stopped and grown up and where I really physically could not sing gave me a refresher, a restart. I perform them in every show, and I have yet to get sick of them because I think my mentality has changed. I don't know if the team I had back realized that they gave me these timeless songs. They have substances. God willing, I hope I still sing them until I'm 80. It's a great feeling that when I get to those songs in the setlist, I finally feel like they're mine and I've earned the right to sing them. I haven't felt that way ever. In the last year and a half, two years, I really felt these are mine. I'm proud to do this, and I deserve to be able to sing these.

EDGE: I read that you are a huge fan of Barbara Streisand. Will you be performing any of her music?

Billy Gilman: She is my idol. There is one I always go back and forth with, and then I get nervous about it. It's the song from the 1976 version of "A Star is Born" – "Everything." I love that song, and it really works for me. I just love that song. I love the message, especially in today's world. So maybe that is always a possibility. It's always in the bucket.

EDGE: You recently released a new song, "Delta Queen." Tell us the story behind the song.

Billy Gilman: When my voice started to change, I almost damaged it because I kept singing those high notes when, in all actuality, you can't. It's physically impossible for a guy to hit a high F over a high C. It's just not healthy unless you're Steven Tyler. I wanted to go back to Nashville. I didn't know if I could really open my mouth and sing at that point. So, I wanted to go to Nashville and get some studio time. I wanted to learn how to use all the buttons on the computer systems and get in a songwriting session. I didn't know if I could write, but out of that came a strong songwriting career. About 10 years ago, I wrote "Delta Queen," and we must've done eight variations of it. One was hard rock, and one had a little bit more twang. It just never found its home. Fast forward to October when I finally got the green light to do a project I've wanted to do for 15 years, but no one believed that I could do it or that it would even work - a Bluegrass Americana record. I love the way my voice fits that genre. It's pure. It's storytelling. I woke up one morning at 2 am, as we were getting ready to do sessions, and figured out how many songs we needed to write, and "Delta Queen" came to mind as the song we needed. It finally found its home. After it was released, it went to number two on the charts. I was pretty proud because it had been sitting around for 10 years, waiting to see the light of day.

EDGE: There have been small strides in country music becoming more inclusive. What needs to continue happening to make it so all kinds of artists can be successful?

Billy Gilman: I wish we all strived for inclusivity and had a magic elixir to make changes. The more people share their truth, the more it becomes inevitable. I get letters and emails all the time from kids in Arkansas or Iowa who were kicked out of their homes because their parents didn't accept them–even in 2024, it's absolutely crazy. I always try to stay on the course, be my true self, and be that role model others need. I take it very seriously to know that someone somewhere is looking to me or another artist for inspiration and strength. That is why I try to live my truth in every sense of the word. I said it before I even came out 10 years ago. I can't believe it's 10 years ago. There are so many LGBTQ+ fans in country music. We are out there. If we can love it, listen to it, and buy it, then why can't we write it, sing it, and stamp it ourselves? Queer country artists have come a long way. We need to stay on the course and show that representation does matter and that we are not going away but only growing.

EDGE: You came out in 2014. That was 10 years ago. When you reflect on that, what comes to mind?

Billy Gilman: So many things. There was this one ounce of me that was like, who cares? I don't ask where you go to bed at night. I don't care who his wife or husband is. It's not my business. My business is to write a great song, make you feel it, make you feel inspired, or make you forget about your bad day. My team said 10 years ago, "Billy, you've lived a completely open book your entire career. Why not keep that stride?" Looking back at those 10 years, I had a great core that supported me, my family, and my friends, and I'm very grateful for that. Everything else was icing on the cake and still is. The crowds have been amazing. Really, nothing that I can see was hindered because of my publicly claiming who I love, who I am, what I do, what I speak about, and what I fight for. I have not seen any backward steps, only forward ones, for which I'm grateful.

EDGE: What does Pride mean to you?

Billy Gilman: Pride is, to me, love. When you come to a Billy Gilman concert, that is what you will feel no matter who you are. Pride is to stand there and have them understand and support my life as I would support theirs. I am so excited to be performing at numerous pride events this year. I'm very excited to stand with people with purple hair, a cowboy hat on, or a suit and tie. When we come together and are united for the same thing. We all want love and respect. There is no greater feeling than being on that stage and singing while we all embrace each other in unity. There's a nucleus of love and respect that we all share.

EDGE: Besides this tour, what's coming up for you?

Billy Gilman: I have a new album that will be coming out in a few months. We need one more single. I have a four-single deal with the label for this record. Then we return to the studio to work on another album; even though the first one isn't out, they want it ready. Hopefully, there are some very interesting duets on that one. I have one that I'm really fighting for, and it looks like the window is opening, which is very exciting. More projects and more concerts are on the horizon. So, keep following me on my socials, and you'll see the journey is never boring.

For more information about Billy Gilman, visit visit his website and to purchase tickets to his show at the City Winery Boston on June 28th visit the City Winery Boston website