About Bill

I was six years old and my dad was in the bathroom shaving. I was sitting by his bed singing to myself.

As he came out drying his face with a towel, I announced, "Daddy, I wrote a song!"

He was amused, in a distracted, dad kind of way.

"It's called 'I Love You'."

"That's nice."

I had my own transistor radio and spent most of my spare time listening to rock and roll. I had normal interests too, but music was all that really mattered.

From there, it was ...

• Guitar lessons at age ten (a dismal failure)
   
• Teaching myself guitar at age 11 (a success)
   
• Buying my first mail-order electric guitar from the Sears catalog
   

Then—forming a surf band with my older brother, Chris

Buying my first brand new Stratocaster (moving up!)

Discovering folk music, then blues, gospel, and jazz

Writing my own songs; then singing them because there was no one else to do it

Singing with a succession of Christian groups: on TV and radio; for wedddings, funerals and banquets; in churches, parks and prisons

Playing jazz guitar in big bands and small groups around L.A.

And now, here we are ...

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