Billy Hill, born William Joseph Hill on July 14, 1899, in Boston, Massachusetts, was a prolific American songwriter, violinist, and pianist. He studied violin at the New England Conservatory of Music under Karl Muck and played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. At 17, Hill ventured west, working as a cowboy in Montana and a surveyor in Death Valley, California, before returning to music. He formed his own jazz band in Salt Lake City, Utah, and later moved to New York City in 1930 to pursue a songwriting career.

Hill's songwriting career took off in 1933 with the hit "The Last Round-Up," which made the Hit Parade and established him as a successful Tin Pan Alley songwriter. He collaborated with numerous artists, including his wife Dedette Hill, Peter DeRose, Victor Young, and others, producing standards such as "They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree," "Wagon Wheels," "Empty Saddles," and "The Glory of Love." The latter became a major hit for Benny Goodman in 1936 and was later recorded by artists like Otis Redding and Bette Midler.

Hill also wrote under the pseudonym George "Funky" Brown, co-authoring songs like "Have You Ever Been Lonely?" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin." His work earned him posthumous inductions into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1982.

Billy Hill passed away from heart failure on December 24, 1940, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 41. His legacy endures through his contributions to Western, country, and jazz music, with many of his songs continuing to be celebrated and recorded.