by Sandra Brennan & James ManheimBest known for his country-flavored rock hit Down in the Boondocks, Billy Joe Royal had a long career that saw him become one of the first pop performers to successfully revive his commercial fortunes by turning to straight country music. Although he never had another hit as successful as Down in the Boondocks, he racked up about 15 singles that hit the country charts over the course of the 1980s.Royal was born into a family of musical entertainers in Valdosta, GA, and made his debut on his uncles radio show at the age of 11. He learned to play steel guitar and joined the Georgia Jubilee in Atlanta at 14, performing with Joe South, Jerry Reed, and Ray Stevens, among several other artists. Royal had his own rock & roll band in high school and was regularly singing around Atlanta by the age of 16. He also spent time in Savannah, where he was influenced by African-American vocal styles and began to develop...