Billy Vera - wikipedia Billy Vera Billy Vera Birth name William Patrick McCord ( 1944 - 05 - 28 ) May 28, 1944 ( age 73 ) Riverside, California, U.S. Genres R&B, pop, rock Occupation ( s ) Singer, songwriter, actor, music historian Instruments Vocals, Guitar, Piano Years active 1962 -- present Labels Atlantic, Alfa, Macola, Capitol, Rhino, Unidisc, Pool Party, Classic World Associated acts Judy Clay Nona Hendryx Website www.billyvera.com Billy Vera ( born William Patrick McCord ; May 28, 1944 ) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author and music historian. He has been a singer and songwriter since the 1960s, his most successful record being `` At This Moment '', a US number 1 hit in 1987. He continues to perform with his group Billy Vera & The Beaters, and won a Grammy Award in 2013. Contents 1 Life and career 1.1 1960s 1.2 1970s thru 1990s 1.3 2000s and 2010s 2 Discography 2.1 Chart singles 2.2 Albums 2.3 TV show theme songs 3 References 4 External links Life and career Vera was born in Riverside, California, and is the son of the radio and television announcer Bill McCord. His mother, singer Ann Ryan, was a member of the Ray Charles Singers backing Perry Como on his TV show and his hit records. 1960s He began his recording career in 1962 as a member of the Resolutions followed by the regional hit `` My Heart Cries '' / `` All My Love '' as Billy Vera & the Contrasts. He went on to a songwriting career in the 1960s, writing for Barbara Lewis, Fats Domino, The Shirelles and Ricky Nelson. He also wrote the garage band classic `` Do n't Look Back '', performed by the Remains and later covered by Robert Plant. In 1967 Vera, with Chip Taylor, penned `` Storybook Children '' and brought it to Atlantic Records. The groundbreaking decision to place former gospel singer Judy Clay with Vera in a white - black duet to record the song was a commercial and artistic success. The duo became big favorites at Harlem 's Apollo Theater and their follow - up, `` Country Girl - City Man '' also charted. He had a solo hit single later that same year with the Bobby Goldsboro penned `` With Pen in Hand '', which was also the name of his next album. 1970s thru 1990s The 1970s were a slow period for Vera but 1979 began with his song `` I Really Got the Feeling, '' a number 1 hit for Dolly Parton. During that decade he served as conductor for many oldies acts, including the Shirelles and Ronnie Spector as well as fronting the band at the 1972 Reunion concert of Dion & the Belmonts. Before moving to Los Angeles in 1979, he played many New York area clubs with his band which included Ben Beckley on drums, Tommy Wolk on bass, John Levanthal on guitar, and Joe Renda on keyboards. Living in Los Angeles and writing songs for Warner Bros. Records, Vera and his old friend, bass player Chuck Fiore decided to put together a band to play the local club scene. Modeling their band on Ray Charles 's 1950s band, The Beaters were born. They featured a horn section, as well as a pedal steel guitar, along with drums, piano, Fiore 's bass, and Vera on guitar and vocals. As a result of the buzz the band generated from their now - legendary Monday midnight shows at the Troubadour, they were offered a recording contract by Alfa Records, a major Japanese record company that had recently opened an American office in Los Angeles. They recorded the band live, at the Roxy and in 1981 yielded the minor hits `` I Can Take Care of Myself, '' which reached number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., and `` At This Moment '', which ( initially ) charted at number 79. Both songs were credited as Billy & The Beaters. The band 's record deal evaporated when Alfa Records closed its U.S. offices in July 1982, but Vera and the Beaters continued to play the clubs of Southern California. In 1985, a producer from the television show Family Ties was in the audience and heard the band play `` At This Moment ''. The song was featured in 1985 as a backdrop for romantic interludes between characters Alex ( Michael J. Fox ) and Ellen ( Tracy Pollan ). Viewers responded by clamoring for the song, and in 1986, Rhino Records released By Request : The Best of Billy Vera & the Beaters, which featured the song. The single became a number one hit on its re-release, reaching the top in January 1987, and remained on the charts for 15 weeks. Before `` At This Moment, '' Vera had a small career in movies and television including appearances in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, Late for Dinner, The Doors and soap opera Days of Our Lives. `` At This Moment '' propelled his movie career as he and the Beaters were featured prominently in the Bruce Willis movie Blind Date. He appeared in one episode of a TV series, Wiseguy and had several other roles on shows such as Baywatch, Boy Meets World, and a recurring role as Duke on Beverly Hills, 90210 as well as nine appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. These roles would lead him into singing theme songs for TV shows, such as Empty Nest and The King of Queens, as well as voice acting on Cartoon Network cartoons. He served as band leader on Rick Dees ' short - lived late - night talk show Into the Night on ABC in 1990. During that period, Vera co-produced three Lou Rawls albums with his friend Michael Cuscuna, for Blue Note Records, including At Last, which reached number 1 on the Billboard jazz chart. Vera also produced Rawls 's final album, Rawls Sings Sinatra, which remained on the jazz chart for over six months. Rawls recorded seven of Vera 's songs, including `` If I Were A Magician '' ( 1989 ), `` Room With A View '' and `` You Ca n't Go Home ''. In 1990, Vera 's tune `` Papa Come Quick ( Jody & Chico ) '' was included on Bonnie Raitt 's album, Luck Of The Draw. Vera also recorded as a duo with Nona Hendryx on the 1992 album You Have To Cry Some Time. 2000s and 2010s Currently the Beaters are still playing the Southern California club scene, and Vera continues his work as a music historian. He has helped produce, archive, and write liner notes for over 200 reissue albums and sets, from artists such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Louis Jordan, Ray Charles, Louis Prima, among others. Vera has been the voice for AM / PM Mini Mart commercials since 1999 and is one of the top voice - over artists in Los Angeles. `` At This Moment '' was included on Michael Bublé 's number one album, Crazy Love. Vera 's CD Hopeless Romantic : The Best Of Billy Vera & The Beaters, was issued on Shout Factory Records, and The Billy Vera Story was released on Rock Beat Records. With his old friend Evie Sands, Billy recorded `` Queen of Diamonds / Jack of Hearts, '' a CD featuring songs by their early mentor Chip Taylor. In 2015, Vera released Billy Vera : Big Band Jazz, a tribute to the black songwriters of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. It was issued on Varese - Sarabande Records, and Vera has appeared with a big 18 piece band in New York City, Hollywood and at various jazz festivals. Vera also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the corner of Vine Street and Yucca Street, right in front of the Capitol Records Building in Hollywood. He won a 2013 Grammy Award for Best Album Notes for the Ray Charles box set Singular Genius : The Complete ABC Singles ``. Book publishing came calling and in 2016 his first effort, Vintage Neon : Los Angeles, 1979, featuring photographs from Vera 's nocturnal hunts for old neon signs was released. His second book, a memoir entitled Harlem to Hollywood was released in 2017. Reviews hailed it as `` an astounding story... the purest treatise on the subject ever produced. '' Award winning documentarian Alan Swyer has directed a documentary on Billy Vera, also titled Harlem to Hollywood due out this year. Discography Chart singles Year Single Chart Positions US Pop US AC US R&B US Country CAN CAN AC NL 1967 `` Storybook Children '' Billy Vera & Judy Clay 54 - 20 - - 15 - 1968 `` Country Girl - City Man '' Billy Vera & Judy Clay 36 - 41 - - - - `` When Do We Go '' Billy Vera & Judy Clay 107 - - - - - - `` With Pen in Hand '' 43 25 - - 12 - - `` I 've Been Loving You Too Long '' 121 - - - - - - 1969 `` The Bible Salesman '' 112 - - - - - - 1981 `` I Can Take Care of Myself '' Billy & The Beaters 39 - - - - - - `` At This Moment '' Billy & The Beaters 79 - - - - - - `` At This Moment '' Billy Vera & The Beaters ( reissue ) 70 42 26 `` She Ai n't Johnnie '' - - - 93 - - - `` Between Like and Love '' - 9 - - 70 6 - `` Something Like Never Before '' - - - - - - 53 Albums Storybook Children ( with Judy Clay, Atlantic, 1968 ) With Pen In Hand ( Atlantic, 1968 ) Out Of The Darkness ( Midsong International, 1977 ) Billy & the Beaters ( Alfa, 1981 ) ( US # 118 ) Billy Vera ( Alfa, 1982 ) The Billy Vera Album ( Macola, 1977 - re-released 1987 ) By Requestː The Best of Billy Vera and the Beaters ( Rhino, 1987 ) ( US # 17, CAN # 13 ) Retro Nuevo ( Billy & the Beaters, Capitol, 1988 ) You Have To Cry Sometime ( with Nona Hendryx, Shanachie, 1992 ) Out of the Darkness ( Unidisc, 1994 ) Oh What a Night ( Billy & the Beaters, Pool Party, 1996 ) Not For Sale ( Billy Vera, Chance, 1999 ) Something Like Nothing Before ( Classic World Productions, 2002 ) At This Moment : A Retrospective ( Varese - Sarabande, 2002 ) Hopeless Romantic : The Best of Billy Vera & the Beaters ( Shout ! Factory, 2008 ) The Billy Vera Story ( Rock Beat, 2011 ) Big Band Jazz ( Billy Vera, Varese - Sarabande, 2015 ) TV show theme songs `` Life Goes On '', Empty Nest ( TV series ) `` Answers '', Roomies ( TV series ) `` You 've Got Me '', Baja Oklahoma ( TV movie ) `` Baby All My Life I Will Be Driving Home To You '', The King of Queens References Jump up ^ Copyright Encyclopedia, `` If I do n't think of you '' ^ Jump up to : Biography by Bill Dahl at Allmusic.com. Retrieved 23 October 2013. Jump up ^ Bishop, Pete ( 10 May 1981 ). `` Zebop ! ' A Zinger ''. Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 14 June 2011. Jump up ^ DeKnock, Jan ( 29 January 1987 ). `` Billy Vera Beaters Hold Off Madonna ''. The Day ( New London ). Retrieved 14 June 2011. Jump up ^ Haygood, Wil ( 7 January 2006 ). `` Lou Rawls, The Voice Wrapped In Silk ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 June 2011. Jump up ^ Sorensen, Big Jay. `` This Week In History : The Monkees, Stevie Wonder, & Billy Vera '', CBS New York ( January 16, 2016 ). Jump up ^ Ives, Brian. `` Woody Guthrie, Ray Charles Collections and Bjork Album Win GRAMMYS '', CBS Pittsburgh ( February 10, 2013 ). Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2003 ). Top Pop Singles 1955 - 2002 ( 1st ed. ). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 743. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 155 - 1. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1996 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 - 1995. Record Research. p. 461. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1994 ). Top Country Singles 1944 - 1993. Record Research. p. 393. External links Billy Vera on IMDb Billy Vera 's website Billy Vera on MySpace interview on Just My Show Billy Vera Interview NAMM Oral History Library ( 2010 ) VIAF : 87514084 LCCN : n92019367 ISNI : 0000 0000 6639 9481 GND : 134581857 MusicBrainz : b64512f0 - 7027 - 4f7a - b684 - bedf6971288a Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Vera&oldid=806782529 '' Categories : 1944 births Living people Male actors from Riverside, California American male singers American pop singers Musicians from Riverside, California Singers from California American rhythm and blues singers Atlantic Records artists Capitol Records artists Rhino Records artists Hidden categories : Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch فارسی Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Edit links This page was last edited on 24 October 2017, at 03 : 31. 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Question: who sings theme song for king of queens
Answer: Vera