Billy Mize

William Robert Mize (April 29, 1929 – October 28, 2017) commonly known as Billy Mize, was an American steel guitarist, band leader, vocalist, songwriter, and TV show host. Mize was born in Arkansas City, Kansas but raised in the San Joaquin Valley of California, an area steeped in country music thanks to relocated "Okies". He originally learned to play guitar as a child, but fell in love with the steel guitar he received for his 18th birthday. Mize moved to Bakersfield, California and formed his own band playing local gigs and also working as a disc jockey on KPMC. In 1953, he, Bill Woods and Herb Henson put together a local TV show called The Cousin Herb Trading Post Show on KERO-TV Bakersfield (then channel 10), where he became affectionately known as Billy The Kid. The signal from that show was so strong the show could be seen as far as Fresno, all the way over to the central coast and Los Angeles. (... read more on wikipedia)

Links To Peel
Peel was a fan of steel guitarists,and would often play them on his shows. It is not known whether Peel discovered Mize, whilst living in America between 1960 and 1967, but he did play a track from him in 1989 via a compilation album called Desperate Rock 'N' Roll Volume Eleven.

Shows Played

 * Billy Mize - Planet Named Desire
 * 13 April 1989: Planet Named Desire (v/a album - Desperate Rock 'N' Roll Volume Eleven) Flame