William Robert Emerson, known professionally as Billy "The Kid" Emerson, was born on December 21, 1925, in Tarpon Springs, Florida. He began his musical career as a singer and songwriter after joining Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm in the early 1950s. His first single, "No Teasing Around" / "If Loving Is Believing," was released in February 1954 on Sun Records. Emerson went on to record for various labels, including Chess and Vee-Jay, releasing notable songs such as "Red Hot" / "No Greater Love" and "Move Baby Move" / "When It Rains It Pours." He formed his own label, Tarpon Records, in 1966, where he recorded artists like Denise LaSalle. In the late 1970s, Emerson turned to gospel music and became a preacher. His contributions were recognized with the Florida Folk Heritage Award in 2017. He passed away on April 25, 2023, at the age of 97.
