| Joe
Billingslea
Second Tenor, Baritone and Lead
Joseph Billingslea, Jr. was born in Hamtramck, Michigan
on November 14, 1937. Before his first birthday, his parents
moved to Detroit, where Joe grew up and attended school.
He sang with the boys' choir while attending Chadsey High
School. After graduation Joe enlisted in the United States
Air Force. While stationed in Maine, Joe formed a vocal
group with four other airmen called the Revere Tone Five.
(The name was taken from the brand of tape recorder that
they used for recording). After receiving an honorable
discharge following his four-year stint, Joe returned
to Detroit.
Shortly afterward, Joe met Billy Hoggs. Together with
Billy Gordon and Leroy Fair they formed The Blenders in
1958. In 1959, after adding Hubert Johnson to become a
quintet, the group decided a name change was in order.
It was Joe's suggestion to call the group "THE CONTOURS";
a name quickly embraced by the other four members.
A few days later, THE CONTOURS signed a recording contract
with Motown Records. The group's first two records in
1960 and 1961 on the Motown label didn't get much airplay
outside the Midwest. However, in 1962 the group made music
history with the million-seller, "Do You Love Me",
recorded on Motown's newest label, Gordy. Joe continued
to sing with THE CONTOURS for two more years, racking
up a number of chart hits on the way. In 1964, Joe (and
every other member except Billy Gordon) left the group
over creative differences with Motown.
Joe took a job for Chrysler Corporation at the Dodge
Truck Plant in Warren, Michigan. A year later, he was
elected UAW Chief Steward; a position he held until he
resigned in 1968 to join the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.
In 1977, he put his years of law enforcement experience
to work by joining the Detroit Correctional Department
(DeHoCo), eventually reaching the rank of Sergeant.
In 1980, Joe reconstituted THE CONTOURS and the group
began playing weekends in the greater Detroit area. He
continued to work his day job and in November 1985 he
was assigned to the Detroit Police Department, 9th Floor
Lockup. About that time, Joe had a dream that he would
meet a man who would become the group's manager and that
THE CONTOURS would become even bigger than they had been
in the early sixties.
Shortly afterward, while playing a record hop in Detroit,
Joe met a newspaper reporter named Jack Ryan who had written
a book about Motown. The book impressed Joe, and remembering
his dream, after the show Joe asked him to manage the
group, even though Jack no experience in the area. A couple
of weeks later, the two entered a gentlemen's agreement,
and Jack Ryan became The Contour's manager. This move,
and the release of the movie, "Dirty Dancing"
a few year later, helped make Joe's dream a reality.
In 1988, the re-release of "Do You Love Me"
from the movie's soundtrack soared on the charts, eventually
going multi-platinum at level 4.0. The movie's success
prompted the "Dirty Dancing Tour," originally
scheduled to be three months long. Joe took a leave of
absence from the Detroit Police Department to participate.
However, the tour became so popular that promoters expanded
it to ten months. THE CONTOURS traveled around the country,
through Europe and to Joe's favorite place on the tour,
Australia. His dream had come to life.
In 1989, Joe decided to resign from the Detroit Police
Department to devote all of his time to THE CONTOURS and
his singing career. He continues to perform to this day.
He is married and has eight children - five boys and three
girls.
Joe never forgets those responsible for making him a
successful entertainer. He thanks: |
