The Other Side of Rock and War

Book excerpt: The Other Side of Rock and War is Billy Terrell's struggle to save his life, his career, his country and the Vietnamese orphans he left behind. Imagine being penniless, and nearly homeless at the age of 16, forced to quit school and try to find a job with your four front teeth missing. This is Billy Terrell's inspiring story of how he overcame poverty, bullying and the horrors of Vietnam, before his near impossible climb to success as a songwriter, producer and later as a top stand-up comedian. It also reveals Terrell's deeply personal experiences at Mang Lang Orphanage near the village of Tuy Hoa in 1966 which as a soldier, he helped rebuild, and his determination to return to Vietnam and reunite with the nuns and former children of the orphanage. Along the way he has a juicy tale of traveling with Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and Cream in the summer of '68. As a writer/producer he has placed 63 records on the national and international charts. As a producer he rebooted Frankie Avalon's career and produced albums for Helen Reddy, Bobby Rydell and great jazz guitarist Larry Carlton, among many others. As a stand-up comedian he worked with several up and coming stars such as, Adam Sandler, Ray Romano, Drew Carey and Chris Rock during their early days on the circuit.