Billy Gilman Album: “One Voice”

I must admit I am not a country music fan. So to rate this CD with 5 stars, it MUST be exceptional, and it really IS EXCEPTIONAL. It is very rare for me to find a CD where I actually like ALL of the songs, but Billy sings each song so beautifully, that I really enjoy every one. While Billy has become well known for his amazing rendition of "One voice", there are several other songs that are amazingly good, that I only hope will get air time on the radio. Songs like "Oklahoma" (not related to the musical) and "There's a hero"; are truely great songs that are worth getting the CD just to hear them. Billy brings also brings new meaning to old favorites like "Whats Forever For". If you are a country music fan, you will love this CD. If you are not a country music fan, you will still love this CD. Either way, you cant lose. I can only hope that Billy Gilman will continue to bring us the great music that he has on this alblum. I look foreward to hearing a lot more great music from him.

Saw this kid on the AMC awards show for the first time and was really impressed with his showmanship. Then they started playing this ONE VOICE video on CMT. I loved the song and remembered that it was the kid on the awards show. I could'nt wait for the CD to come out to hear what else he could sing. I have to admit I was really suprised. He has so much depth in his vocal training that you can not hear by just listening to the single. Best song on the album in my opinion is "Spend Another Night". It talks about falling in love maybe for the first time and holding that girl in your dreams until the day that it is right to be together forever. Best showcase of his vocal talent. Awesome Song. "Oklahoma" will put tears in your eyes if you have a heart. "Whats Forever For" puts a hole new meaning to this song being sung from a child's point of view of the world around him. "I Want To Get To Ya" is a great upbeat song about being attracted to the opposite sex at any age. "There's a Hero" is a song about great inspiration that is available to everyone's heart. Overall the "PASSION" that this kid sings with would make Anthony Robbins "Proud" And to see him sing it on TV programs shows his entertainment skills that are way beyond his years. Awesome Kid with an innocent heart and Awesome CD. Can't wait to hear more. And when his voice changes he will only get better.

From the moment I first heard One Voice, I knew this album was extra special. Now, five months later, it easily ranks among my top four albums of all time! Billy Gilman's talent and product transcends age and musical genre and makes this an album for the ages. I have never heard a voice more perfect. In listening closely to his well trained voice, I am convinced that even as he grows older, he will continue to have a flawless voice. But for now, treat yourself to this outstanding album. There is not one weak song on it. On a disc of eleven diamonds, three gems sparkle even brighter than the others. "One Voice" is Billy's breakout number one single, and much has been written about it and its praise is well deserved. "Oklahoma" is the second single from the album, and if its touching message doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you should check your pulse. My favorite song on One Voice is Billy's flawless rendition of Tammy Wynette's classic song, "'Til I Can Make It On My Own." Turn out the lights, close your eyes, crank up the stereo, and you will hear musical perfection. Although the subject is probably not a life experience for someone his age, who cares? This is a beautiful song and I find myself listening to it almost every day. I even bought Tammy Wynette's original version, and with all due respect to the late, great queen of country music, I can't imagine anyone singing this song better than Billy Gilman.

You'll love two upbeat songs in particular, "I Think She Likes Me" (a great song for a 12 year old) and "I Wanna Get To Ya." "The Snake Song" is just for fun, and Billy breathes new life into "Little Bitty Pretty One" and Bobby Goldsboro's "Little Things." "What's Forever For" is another country classic expertly interpreted by Billy. I think the only reason I don't rank "There's A Hero" higher is that it comes between my two favorite songs on the album and I find myself skipping it occasionally. My mistake, because this is a good song too.

I saw on AOL chat that Billy likes amazon.com, so Billy, if you read this, thank you for sharing your amazing talent with us. You are an incredible performer and I cannot praise you enough. I'd love to someday meet you and tell you this in person. To everyone else reading this, BUY THIS ALBUM! (and Classic Christmas too.) You won't be disappointed. It is easily the album of the year for 2000, and a great way to start the 21st Century!

I just heard and saw Billy perform the title song, "One Voice Was Heard," on Rosie O'Donnell's show. He is an incredible singer for his young age. The strength in his singing is amazing. Consequently, I needed to get the CD to listen to more of his songs.

First off, I just want to thank Billy for everything. This CD has gotten me through some very tough times in my life, and he's only 12 (in this CD, that is). One Voice has fun, fast songs like: Little Things, I Think She Likes Me, Little Bitty Pretty One, and I Wanna Get To Ya. But then, he moves onto a more MATURE power in singing with One Voice and Oklahoma. One Voice, for those that don't know, is about a kid (who is Billy in the video--der) on a school bus, and he's coming home from middle school, and he sees all the violence in the world (in the video, he sees a mom and dad fighting, a kid getting arrested), and he sees these two boys exchange a gun, and then Billy prays that the violence will stop, and at the end of the song, Billy sees the little boy throw the gun into the river, and then he knows that his prayer was answered. And coming from a 12 year old...that is really deep. I mean...REALLY deep.

A few years ago, my dance instructor's son was diagnosed with brain cancer. She was in and out, but she was mainly with her son. This just so happened to be in the spring of 2000, a few months after Billy came out with the album, One Voice. At our recital that May, the teachers came out, while our instructor was thanking everyone for coming and what not. They said "To show how much we love you, a few of the teachers and the seniors got together and made a special dance for you." By now, our instructor was crying, and since I was in the opening act, I had known about it, but not muttered a word to her. So the lights dim, I'm giving my instructor a hug, and she's wiping her eyes, and the music starts. It's Billy's "There's A Hero." I had known that there was going to be a "special dance", but I didn't know that it was to this particular song. My grandmother had passed away the previous November, and I listened to this to cope with my saddness. So while the teachers and seniors were dancing, I felt a tear or two slip down my cheek. This song was written for the Special Olympics, but a more personal reason that Billy doesn't state that much is that his own grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, so his managers and songwriters wrote There's A Hero.

Even if you don't like Billy's songs (which there isn't a reason to hate his songs), you should at least like him for who he is. He is currently a 15 year old, about to be 16, and he is the current MDA National Youth Chairman. He was on the MDA marathon on Labor day weekend, and he sang a few songs off of Music Through Heartsongs. He donates money and his time to St. Judes hospital, and hearing him in person is beyond the extreme. Sure, he'll maybe hit a few off-key notes, but it's the emotion behind it. I went to a concert once, and he sang, "Crying" by Roy Orbison (sp?), and it was just a beautiful rendition of it, allowing him to belt out at the end. Let me tell you right here and now, there wasn't a dry eye in the place, and there was a large crowd.

Billy always shows such emotion in his songs, whether it is about a foster child finally meeting his birthfather, or expressing heartache, or love at first sight. Billy has a genuine personality, and a God-given voice that has been used to the greatest. Thank you Billy.