Billy Merman

Billy Merman came up during the American folk revival in the late 1970s. The band was built around Billy Merman on vocals and guitar, with Michael Merman on keyboard and David Merman on drums. Their sound pulled from folk, bluegrass, and country, with fingerstyle guitar and vocals that felt lived-in rather than polished.

In 1988, they released '900 Miles,' a ballad about distance and home that became their breakout single. It got them wider attention without smoothing out the rough edges in their music. They put out a few albums in the 1980s, including 'Billy Merman' in 1982 and 'Blue Collar' in 1986.

Billy Merman himself was known for being outspoken, which sometimes stirred things up around the band. They dealt with some personal struggles too, and didn't stay active as a group for a particularly long stretch. But the records they made, especially songs like '900 Miles,' kept finding listeners who connected with that direct, unvarnished folk sound.