THERE are few gentlemen in country music as articulate, polite, smart and talented at Billy Gilman.
He is so poised that when you talk to him, it’s nearly impossible to believe he just turned 13.
Gilman is already an international singing sensation. His debut disc, “One Voice,” went double platinum. He cut a well-selling Christmas collection and his new “Dare to Dream” record is already platinum, holding a top-10 chart spot since its release in June.
It seems this Billy the Kid is a young gun who can nail whatever he’s aiming at.
How did he get so good, so fast? The way his family tells the story, 3-year-old Billy was in a playpen when his mom, Fran, played a video of Pam Tillis singing “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial.” The tot became enthralled by Tillis’ performance, so Fran played it again. On the third listen, little Billy sang the song, word for word.
After taking the usual baby steps to encourage him, Gilman’s family decided he was an unusually talented kid and got him a bona fide singing coach.
The coach knew Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel. Benson gave a tape of Billy singing to Tim McGraw’s manager, who signed the 11-year-old kid immediately. It was that easy.
That first year, Billy cut a single, “One Voice,” which climbed to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard country chart, making him the youngest person to achieve that feat.
He’s been nominated for a Grammy, has won four Billboard Music awards and – when he isn’t singing or being privately schooled at home in Rhode Island – is an avid game-show junkie.
In fact, he’s soon to appear on “Hollywood Squares” with his good friend Haley Joel Osment.
Gilman’s biggest gig comes tonight, when he’ll sing a couple of songs at the Michael Jackson tribute at Madison Square Garden.
Post: What’s it like being part of the Michael Jackson show?
Gilman: It’s very exciting. It’s an honor to sing in front of a true legend. I can’t wait.
Post: Are you and Michael going to do a duet?
Gilman: I don’t think so. I’m doing two songs, one of his and one of mine.
Post: Details about the concert are hush-hush, but can you let us in on what song you’re doing?
Gilman: I can’t, but since I found out that I was going to be part of the show, I started doing some Jackson Five songs in my own show.
Post: Which ones?
Gilman: I do a medley of “Rockin’ Robin” and “ABC,” and it gets a great response.
Post: Your voice coach and your publicist are listening in on our conversation. Do you think they’re overly protective?
Gilman: Not at all.
Post: Do you ever have to tell them you’d rather do things yourself?
Gilman: Everybody gives me as much space as I need. I get to be a regular kid off stage, and when I work, I get to pick the songs I want to sing. I have a lot of choice in my life. Everything is really cool because they give me lots of room.
Post: Many kids would say you have the best life possible. You’re on stage, you get to do what you want, you travel around the world. You don’t even have to go to school. Is it as good as it sounds?
Gilman: Yeah. The only bad part is being away from home. If I were going back to school this week, like my brother and my friends, and my teacher asked me, “What did you do on your summer vacation?” I’d get to say, “I saw the whole world, and it was amazing.” This is my dream come true.
Post: You sound a little relieved that you don’t have to go to school this week.
Gilman: If I had to go, I’d have butterflies in my guts. I’d be thinking, “Is my teacher going to be mean?” “Is it going to be a hard year?” I’m lucky I don’t have to go to regular school. I might get shoved into a locker.
Post: So how does your schooling get done?
Gilman: I get tutored, and I go at my own pace.
Post: What is your favorite subject?
Gilman: Probably reading. I don’t like math, but I know you have to know it.
Post: You really do.
Gilman: Why?
Post: Because you’re making lots of money.
Gilman: Yeah, I guess I need my math. But right now, I have a great business manager and all the people who work for me take care of my money and all that stuff, so I’m not really worried about it.
Post: Do you think you’d ever try something besides singing?
Gilman: If I go to college, I want to study management. I want to know how things [in the entertainment business] come together. It’s really important stuff.
Post: That’s it?
Gilman: I’d like to try and climb a big mountain. I’d also like to visit all Seven Wonders of the World. That would be pretty cool.
Post: You’re 13. Soon, your voice will change. Does this worry you?
Gilman: I can’t go down into my voice and tell it to stop. I have to work with it and take it one step at a time. We’ve already lowered some of my songs a whole step. My voice is changing every day.
Post: You get 500,000 hits a week on your Web site – a lot, I’m betting, from girls. How do you deal with all that female attention?
Gilman: I love it. The fans come first. After a concert the other day, I stood in the rain signing autographs because [the fans] were standing on line in the rain to get an autograph.