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Billy Sheehan
open-in-new
<p>William Sheehan (born March 19, 1953) is an American musician known for playing bass guitar with acts such as Talas, <a href="/facts/Steve_Vai/rC3pbc4S">Steve Vai</a>, <a href="/facts/David_Lee_Roth/VI0NRQtF">David Lee Roth</a>, <a href="/facts/Mr._Big_(American_band)/9PvHnv9s">Mr. Big</a>, Niacin, and <a href="/facts/The_Winery_Dogs/R7NsPknr">The Winery Dogs</a>. He is also known for his "lead bass" playing style, including the use of <a href="/facts/Chording/MDbvY7Qf">chording</a>, two-handed <a href="/facts/Tapping/NzfN7kaQ">tapping</a>, "three-finger <a href="/facts/Fingerstyle_guitar/WuG9uEqA">picking</a>" technique and controlled <a href="/facts/Audio_feedback/NaMWquWb">feedback</a>. Sheehan has been voted "Best Rock Bass Player" five times in <i><a href="/facts/Guitar_Player/kWFcmgyx">Guitar Player</a></i> readers' polls. </p>