Feature film
Jimmy’s Story
Written and directed by Billy Yeager
Rated PG
Length 120 minutes
Cost $19.95

With soundtrack $29.95

Winner of 4 Awards
• *Best First Feature
• * Best Folk Film
• * Best Documentary
• Best First Time Director

Dean Treadway Dahlonega International Film Festival Director/ Programmer

“ Out of the 700 films submitted Jimmy’s Story is the one that moved me the most to tears of joy and frustration and laughter and the love of movie making.”

For 13 years, Billy charged and re-charged his batteries everyday while filming his unusual life. You might say, that beginning in 1985, Billy Yeager, shot the first reality show. This is a testament to Billy’s determination to be heard. In the process, Billy fell in love with filmmaking. He now believes this is his true calling.

Billy finished his film despite all the odds and the endless hours and years of editing and sifting through over 300 tapes formats VHS> HI- 8> 8 m.m old film> Digital film stock> Super Vhs. Billy spent 5 more years filming and re-editing the film.

Bunny Yeager the famous 1950’s Pin-Up and photographer for Betty Page had been filming the young “musical genius” from the age of 5. Billy’s sister and grandmother also were filming him throughout the 1970’s and 80’s. So it was only natural that Billy decided to document his life. He mounted cameras in his apartment and in his car. He filmed his whole life story to show the world his trials and tribulations.

By age 12 he was considered a virtuoso. He never took a music lesson and started writing music at age 15. Today, he has written over 700 original songs. He can play any musical instrument. He spent 23 years trying to get a record deal. In 1992 after 16 years of struggling his demo tapes were heard by Grammy Award Winner Bruce Hornsby. Bruce believed in Billy’s original songs because they "were different" ( Bruce’s own words in a New Times Interview in 1993 about Billy’s music). And why wouldn’t they be, different? Billy had quit playing in bands and had taken a part time job as a janitor. He worked until 3:00 a.m. so he could spend his days writing music.

The birth of a beautiful conspiracy

Billy spent 1 full year fabricating a hoax that the local media in south Florida was totally unprepared for. Billy dyed his skin black and convinced the press that he was the illegitimate son of the legendary musician "Jimi Hendrix". Billy produced a birth certificate. He forged documents and doctored photos so professionally it is a wonder that the CIA did not offer him work in espionage.

Yeager also played his own manager promoting himself on the phone as Jimmy Story. He had all of his documents certified by a "certified graphologist" which was actually Billy who had also created the seals and documents.

Billy created a full- blown media attention "hoax" that really had people convinced that he was, the Son of Hendrix. This created enormous controversy, angering many reporters. He then edited the material into the film, Jimmy’s Story. The making of the film itself was featured on Bravo Television in 1998

Billy continued filming even though the project was completed. He continued filming his life, his friends, his landlord, his failed relationships, and even his 87-year-old grandmother. So he re-edited the film to include his own parallel world and what you see is the life of Billy Yeager juxtaposed with the character of Jimmy Story. It is a fascinating film with many profound messages. There are many ways one could interpret such a film. The struggle to be acknowledged as a musician may be one. But for this writer, it was a father and son movie, about the passing of precious time. What should we do with our time here on Earth?