BIOGRAPHY
Bill Chelf's kaleidoscopic career spans over fifty years. His versatility has enabled him to play venues ranging from honky tonks to churches. Bill played the original Woodstock and Carnegie Hall with singer/songwriter Tim Hardin. Recording sessions in New York and Nashville encompassed a wide cross section of bands and singers. An album,"The Teachers", was made with jazz giant James Moody. A year was spent playing with Charlie Daniels. A somewhat different venue included performing and recording with prominent New York poet Barry Wallenstein.
Ten years were spent in Bermuda's major resort hotels backing internationally renowned entertainers such as Gordon McCrae, Helen O'Connell, Helen Forrest, Frieda Payne, Johnny Desmond, Don Cornell, Julius LaRosa, the Drifters and more. Bill has been at sea performing extensively with the Norwegian and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, playing with showbands, as a single and also with his trio.
His quartet, Jazz and Jam on Whole Wheat, performed for over 13 years at Windows on the Cumberland in the historic Market Street District of Nashville,TN. In 1998 he joined Henry Cuesta and Barney Liddell of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra along with remaining members of the Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Harry James orchestras for a U.S. tour billed as "The Battle of the Big Bands".
While living in Rochester, MN, Bill performed with the Diamonds, the Shirelles, the Turkey River All Stars, numerous jazz, blues and country bands and his own quartet. For two years running he has been featured at the Great River Jazz Festival in LaCrosse,WI. He played New Year's Eve 2004 and also in 2005 with the Guy Lombardo Orchestra.
Bill studied at seven universities, including the Berklee School of Music and the Boston Conservatory and has developed a comprehensive method of commercial music instruction for students interested in learning jazz, blues and pop piano. Electronic space music (THIS) is a current endeavor.
His home is now Bowling Green, Kentucky
Contact Bill at: 270-991-5827
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