Willy DeVille, a multifaceted American artist, was born William Paul Borsey Jr. and went on to forge a remarkable thirty-five-year career as a singer-songwriter and actor. Throughout his illustrious career, DeVille's creative endeavors were deeply rooted in traditional American musical styles, first as the driving force behind the band Mink DeVille from 1974 to 1986, and subsequently as a solo artist.
As a young teenager, a fourteen-year-old kid had just settled into his new rooftop abode on MacDougal Street in the early 1960s. The West Village in New York City provided the vibrant backdrop for this urban tale. The sounds of the raucous and throaty voice of Fred Neil, the unbridled folk hymns of Bob Dylan, and the electrifying guitar riffs of Jimi Hendrix wafted out of the clubs on the street, a sensory overload that captivated the young roof dweller.
Willy DeVille's introduction to music was a pivotal moment, one that would forever shape his artistic identity. The essence of his musical journey was woven into the fabric of that urban tale, a testament to the transformative power of music and the city that never sleeps.
