Billy Mitchell

Billy started playing the guitar in the early sixties when they were all made of wood and mostly the same colour.

He formed a ‘beat group’ with some pals at the local youth club and played local clubs and pubs till the sad arrival of full time employment forced their demise.

He then joined with former beat group pals to form a ‘folk group’ during the great ‘folk scare’ of the late sixties and early seventies. The Callies showed the good people of Newcastle what they thought folk music should sound like. They recorded one album, went to London, didn’t like it... then came home.

After a spell in Vancouver, Canada, Billy was invited to return to England to join Jack the Lad with members of the recently split Lindisfarne. Then followed four albums and four years touring the UK and Europe, playing every venue known to man and some that weren’t…

At the end of the seventies he joined with Peter McIntyre to form the hilarious Maxie & Mitch who have spent the last twenty four years playing music in a very funny way to people all over the world who fancied a laugh…

1996 saw Billy join Newcastles’ favourite sons Lindisfarne who enjoyed critical acclaim for their live concerts in the UK and the USA, and their subsequently-released albums of new songs Here Comes the Neighbourhood and Promenade.

Since Lindisfarne's retirement in 2003, Billy has embarked on a very successful solo career with his Backtrackin' show and CD, and in 2005 he recorded The Devil's Ground album, which received critical acclaim and extensive radio play.

In 2006, he celebrated his 60th birthday by forming the first ever Billy Mitchell Band, who played an emotional ‘sell out’ concert at The Sage, Gateshead.


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