Billy Raffoul carrying on family music dream

Mark Ribble,

Leamington Post

For Leamington's Billy Raffoul, life in the spotlight is almost a normal, everyday thing.

After all, growing up the son of a successful musician tends to put you in the spotlight on occasion.

The 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Cardinal Carter has performed numerous times with his famous dad, Jody Raffoul.

In fact, he has opened for Jody on the Chrysler Theatre stage in Windsor.

Last Saturday, he took his blossoming music career to another level when he was invited to perform on that same Chrysler Theatre stage with award winning Canadian musician and composer, Pavlo.

Pavlo has sold over half a million records worldwide and has two gold albums under his belt.

Pavlo has performed with Jody Raffoul in the past and when his tour brought him to Windsor last week, he thought t would be nice to have Jody join him on stage. Pavlo often invites a popular local musician to join him on every stop of his tour.

When Jody Raffoul wasn't available, it was suggested that he ask his son Billy. Once Pavlo took a look at Billy's videos on YouTube, he was sold on the idea and showed up in Leamington at Billy's door on November 3.

The day before, he had called and explained that he needed Billy to learn the lyrics to Gordon Lightfoot's 'If You Could Read My Mind' in one day.

As Billy played and sung the song with Pavlo in his Leamington home, the music legend came to realize that he had a blossoming young star on his hands.

Billy also impressed the musician with a rendition of Adele's hit 'Someone Like You'.

So what was originally planned as Billy Raffoul coming out on the stage in the middle of Pavlo's performance of 'If You Could Read My Mind' became Billy performing the entire song with Pavlo and then entertaining the packed house with the Adele song.  To read more go to www.leamingtonpostandshopper.com.