Billy Newton-Davis

Billy Newton-Davis, born April 26, 1951, is an American-Canadian singer and songwriter working across R&B, jazz, and gospel. He grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, where he performed as one of two lead singers in a local soul band called The Illusions.

Newton-Davis built his early professional career as a singer and dancer on Broadway between 1976 and 1980, appearing in Bubbling Brown Sugar, Got Tu Go Disco, and Eubie!. Following his time on Broadway, he relocated to Toronto, Ontario, in 1980, where he established himself as a recording artist.

His debut album, Love Is a Contact Sport, was released in 1986 and produced the singles "Deeper," "Right Beside You," and "Find My Way Back." The record earned him the Juno Award for Best R&B/Soul Recording. His 1989 follow-up album, Spellbound, yielded his biggest Canadian chart hit, "I Can't Take It," along with a duet with Celine Dion titled "Can't Live With You, Can't Live Without You." Spellbound also won the Juno Award for Best R&B/Soul Recording.

In 1991, Newton-Davis joined the vocal group The Nylons. After his departure from the group, he shifted his focus primarily to songwriting and live jazz and gospel performances. He also contributed vocals to several tracks by electronic musician Deadmau5, including "All U Ever Want" and "R My Dreams," both from At Play Vol. 2. In 2008, the Juno Award for Best Dance Album was awarded for All You Ever Want.

Newton-Davis is openly gay. His 2008 project On a Boy's Life was described as a celebration of all the naughty things men can get up to when left to their own devices. Diagnosed with HIV in 1986, he first disclosed his status publicly in a documentary by Sylvia Sweeney that aired on Vision TV in 2000.