www.billycats.com - The Billycats contact:dborowski56@gmail.com or phone (740) 591-9718

The Billycats play a type of ‘swing’ music that draws upon jazz, blues, and country & western influences. While their sound is based in American “roots” music, their approach is traditional yet modern. Their music is upbeat and danceable, and the Billycats are as good a fit performing in night clubs and parties as they are in concerts and festivals.

Dave Borowski sings and plays guitar, while Ted Harris is on woodwinds (sax, clarinet, flute) and vocals. John Borchard plays steel guitar, while bassist Bob Prebe and drummer Ken Dean round out their ensemble sound.

Originally from Brick Town NJ, guitarist/vocalist Dave Borowski considers southeastern Ohio his home. A working musician since 1975, he has appeared on 8 albums and CD’s, done additional studio work, and performed in a variety of live venues from New York to Seattle. His strongest musical influences include Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, and Jon Hendricks. Bands that Borowski worked with, past and present, include Close Enough for Jazz, Aces & Eights, the Kings of Hollywood, the Wing Nuts, Dave Barrow & the Wheels, and Realbilly Jive.

From Long Island, New York, Ted Harris also started performing professionally in the mid-1970’s. Most of those years were spent in northern Ohio, where Ted played hundreds of club dates and dozens of recording sessions. He became a mainstay of the Cleveland area jazz/blues scene, and still performs there on occasion. Ted considers Pete Fountain, Herbie Hancock, and Stanly Turrentine to be his most important musical influences. He moved to southeastern Ohio three years ago, and made musical friends quickly. In addition to his gigs with the Billycats, Ted performs with Shirley King and R&B Station, the Athens Dixieland Band, and the Royales.

Steel guitarist John Borchard hails from Chicago, but has called southeastern Ohio his home for the last two decades. He has played guitar, lap steel, and steel guitar professionally since the mid-1960’s. His influences include Freddy King, Jimmy Vaughan, Chuck Berry, Lowell George, Speedy West, and Buddy Emmons. Johnny has toured and recorded with many national and semi-national acts throughout his long career, and is one of the most sought-after session musicians in the area.

Bassist Bob Prebe is from Toledo, Ohio, where he worked in a number of bands in the 1990’s, performing live and in studio recording sessions. He now considers Athens, Ohio his home. His musical influences include Mose Allison, Charles Mingus, and Ray Brown. A former member of the Roger Bailey Jazz Explosion, in addition to his work with the Billycats, Bob performs with the Athens Dixieland Band.

Drummer Ken Dean grew up in the Athens and has recorded and worked countless club dates in Ohio and West Virginia. His biggest influences come from classic rock drummers, and also a wide range of jazz players… and Cubby. Ken currently performs with Backwords, the Music Makers, and the Athens Dixieland Band.

*Click on the link below to see a current sample of the Billycats songlist.

Billycatssonglist.doc

*Click below to read a recent article about the Billycats in the Athens News (Athens, Ohio).

*Click on the link below to read a recent article about the Billycats that appeared in the Athens News (Athens, Ohio).