Billy Squier picked up his first acoustic guitar at age 12 but switched to electric after The Beatles arrived in the US. ∙ Squier was discovered by Kiss manager Bill Aucoin, who helped assemble and promote his band Piper. ∙ “The Big Beat,” from Squier’s solo debut, The Tale of the Tape, contains one of the most sampled drum breaks ever, having appeared on hundreds of hip-hop tracks, including UTFO’s “Roxanne, Roxanne” and Jay-Z’s “99 Problems.” ∙ Squier’s 1981 breakthrough album, Don’t Say No, has sold more than 3 million copies in the US alone. ∙ Andy Warhol designed the cover art for Squier’s 1982 album, Emotions in Motion. ∙ Members of Queen made guest appearances on Squier’s albums Emotions In Motion, Signs of Life, and Enough Is Enough. ∙ His songs have been featured in nearly 100 films and TV shows, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High, St. Elmo’s Fire, and American Horror Story.