BILL ALLRED
Bill’s musical legacy started, indirectly, in the city of New Orleans, Bill’s Grandmother Ida was born near the “Crescent City” in the town of Franklin, LA. His father, John, was a pianist and banjoist on many of the steamboats of the great “Strekfus Line,” playing in and around New Orleans as well as up and down the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Bill was born on the banks of the mighty Mississippi in Rock Island, Illinois.
Bill performed in College and the U.S. Navy and was a staff musician with the opening day crew at Walt Disney World In Orlando, FL., October 1st. 1971. Later in 1974, Bill formed Rosie O’Grady;s Jazz Band and produced the world famous Goodtime Show.
His solo jazz performances have taken him to the major jazz festivals and concerts in the United States and abroad. He has appeared with Jack Teagarden, Billy Butterfield, Warren and Allan Vache’, Peanuts Hucko, Al Hirt, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme’, Al Cohen, Zoot Sims, Snooky Young, Bob Cooper, Milt Hinton, Bob Haggart, Barrett Deems, Louis Bellson, Buddy DeFranco and countless other jazz personalities from all over the world.
His Jazz band experience includes The World’s Greatest Jazz Band, Billy Maxted, The Titan Hot Seven, his own Classic Jazz Band and the big bands of Bob Crosby, Tex Beneke, Buddy Morrow, Dick Hyman and Bob Wilber and Terry Myers.
For over 12 years, Bill was a member of the Wild Bill Davison Jazz Band, recording and traveling to Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, England, America and at many other festivals and concerts worldwide.
Bill’s Arbors recordings include several cd’s with the Wild Bill Davison Legacy, Eddie Erickson band and a new solo/all-star CD, NEW YORK SESSIONS
Bill’s very popular CLASSIC JAZZ BAND, still going strong and touring nationally after 21 years, has just started pre-production on their 14th CD. Their web site is HYPERLINK http://www.billallred.com www.billallred.com