Much of his accumulated research and knowledge have been invested into this website, which many libraries and universities, along with his peers, have flatteringly cited as a valuable resource for musical and cultural education at all grade levels. Government-sponsored shows on American Musical History. He was also involved in some live overseas broadcasts to Europe and South America for U.S. Bill has also made appearances at a variety of other traditional jazz and ragtime events around the country, participating as a guest, a contestant, lecturer, judge and/or performer. Edwards has been the seminar director for the festival, also working with the music director to ensure the best quality presentation for those who attend. Soon after that came continued performance and seminar appearances at the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, usually held within a week of the Peoria contest. His continued enthusiasm for this great forum for performers of all ages and abilities has kept him involved in many facets of the contest, including providing some of the definitions used in the rules as well as leading seminars one year, and ultimately becoming a member of the board of directors.
He has consistently placed in the top five, and even won the title somehow in 1991, having to date amassed more medals from the top five places than any other contestant. It has been held at Ole Miss University in Oxford, Mississippi, since 2016, and performance has shifted from the old upright unaffectionately known as Moby Dink to a beautiful Steinway concert grand piano. In the mid-1980's, the "Perfessor" started making appearances at the World Championship of Old-Time Piano Playing previously held in Monticello, then Decatur, Illinois, then, since the dawn of the 21st century took place over each Memorial Day Weekend in Peoria, Illinois.
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While working by day as a software engineer and web designer, currently contracted to the Veterans Administration in Washington, DC, at night Bill donned his tie and vest to entertain the residents of and visitors to Northern Virginia in various venues. As an added benefit, Dick, in turn, had learned much of his craft directly from the inimitable ragtime recording pioneer Johnny Maddox. Kroeckel as his mentor, for the invaluable advice and time given to him over those years. Bill with Jo-Ann Castle in Sedalia, Missouri in 1989.īill still considers Mr. Kroeckel, Molly Kaufman, Jim Rowe, and a few other talented pianists who helped shape his style and repertoire. Within a very short time, the "Perfessor" had his own niche at the Diamond Belle, and played there for six years, sharing duties with Mr. In the midst of this, the well-established Dick Kroeckel, who played ragtime piano at the Diamond Belle Saloon in the Strater Hotel, asked Bill to fill in for him during a brief vacation. After a couple of months, The Abbey Theatre, a melodrama-style theater next door, hired him for a season of productions. While repairing a player piano at a local pizza parlor (then called Cable Car Pizza), the owner heard Bill play and hired him as a draw for the weekends. Edwards moved from the increasingly congested, earthquake-ridden fire-infested smog-choked and otherwise lovely San Fernando Valley to Durango, Colorado, where his parents had moved, in hopes of establishing himself as the town's piano technician. After receiving a broadcasting degree (AA) from Los Angeles Valley College, Mr. Bill worked as an intern for a couple of record companies and attended community college.
At a time when The Beatles and Herb Alpert were making it big, Bill absorbed the influences of both Rock and Roll and Traditional Jazz.Ī half-hearted attempt was made at CSUN (California State University Northridge) to go after a business degree, but it was met by Bill with indifference after three semesters. Crawling inside of the sounds of these wonderful records, the trauma around him went away, because ragtime was pure happiness. He immediately immersed himself into these few worn pieces of vinyl and began a journey into the metaphorical rabbit hole of syncopated desires.
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At the age of nearly 6, Bill's parents divorced, and his dad left behind some 10 inch discs of the Firehouse Five Plus Two, Frankie Carle, Joe Fingers" Carr (aka Lou Busch), and Paul Lingle, all full of Ragtime, Honky-Tonk, and Dixieland-style music. William Edwards slid into the world in Southern California at a time when there were 49 states in the USA, Richard Nixon was starting preparations for his designs on a White House bid, Television was still mostly broadcast in black and white, Disneyland had just added some of their best attractions to date, and the first ragtime revival and honky-tonk craze was nearing an end.