Inside the Doo-Wop Era: An Interview with John Billy of The Honey Boys (A Civil Rights Story)

This is an interview with John Billy, former member of The Honey Boys on Modern Records. This is the group that recorded “Vippity Vop”. The purpose of these interviews is to preserve the legacy of Rock' n roll's most forgotten artists. I strive to give these musicians a voice by sharing their stories with the world. Even though many of these musicians had one hit or none, each musician's voice is extremely important to preserving Rock n roll. In this interview, Billy talks about his experience singing with the Honey Boys along with his experience with his marriage to Shirley Billy, the first interracial marriage in the state of Maryland. Billy talks about race and gender and how it all started with his group. Join us as we document another crucial piece of music history that might otherwise be lost to time. This interview is part of our ongoing series dedicated to preserving the voices of early rock and roll's unsung pioneers. Discography: 1956 - Never Lose Faith In Me / Vippity Vop (Modern 980) 1974 - Unchained Melody / Honey Love (Recorded in 1956) (Boogie Music 1) #DooWop #RockNRoll #50sMusic #60sMusic #ClassicMusic #OldiesButGoodies #UnsungMusicians #ForgottenLegends #MusicHistory #PreservingMusicHistory #LostVoices #ForgottenArtists #RockNRollHistory #MusicDocumentary #RockHistory #MusicHistory #DooWop #RockAndRoll #MusicDocumentary #OralHistory #MusicPreservation #RockNRoll #VintageMusicInterviews #1950s

Added 24 May 2026