Billy sang in the BBC’s “Children’s Hour” on 23 April 1952 and was hailed as “Scotland’s Wonder Boy Soprano”.  He appeared in “Fanny the GI Bride” with The Logan Family at The Theatre, Paisley while still at school.

In 1954 he appeared in “Saloon Bar” at the RSAMD, “Antigone” for the Old Grammarians Amateur Dramatic Society, “Bunty Pulls the Strings” for St James Church of Scotland Dramatic Club, “Storm in the Manse” for Sherwood Church of Scotland Dramatic Society and performed with The Teenagers’ Concert Party.

Billy says:  When I appeared at the Paisley Theatre as Raymond Hubner in a scene called “In The Cathedral” as a choir boy, there were 8 Moxon Girls (a dance troupe) as choirBOYS too.  They were to form two lines inside the Cathedral doors which I had to walk between.  The dreadful set was the old-style “flats” held up by the wooden braces and sand bags.  Going on stage in a black-out (not allowed nowadays), one of the Moxons tripped over a brace and a real line of expletives poured out of the “innocent choristers’” mouths ... “Who the f*** put the guide lights (blue) out?!” etc., etc., but they all lined up, sweetness personified, as yours truly walked between them, polished face and all, singing “Ave Maria”!  I wasn’t au fait with the foreign language - I kinda guessed that it was something I shouldn’t ask May (Billy’s mother) about!!!

In 1954, Billy worked at Renfrew Airport as a flight check-in assistant.
Billy says:  I was 16 when I worked at the Airport during school holidays as a flight check-in assistant - that’s why I always cross my 7s for, in those days, the loading of the luggage on planes like the DC3 was critical and there was a hell of a difference between, e.g. 111 lbs. and 777 lbs. Distributed around the baggage hold!

However, as Billy went professional in 1955, a family meeting was held to decide on a stage name.  It was decided to keep the name “Raymond” but to have the first name as “Billy”, probably after a comedian of the time called Billy Rusk.