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Bill’s love of music as a child led to his life-long career
-- teaching, and his avocation -- playing trombone. The two was
forever intertwined. After graduating from Carrollton High School,
Bill earned his BA and MFA degrees in music from Ohio University.
He served as high school band director. His high school marching
bands were featured at many college football games and presented
special half-time programs at professional football games of the
Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bill
moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1976, to direct the marching and
symphonic band programs at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI).
He continues to teach in the School of Music at UNI, where he
chairs the General Studies area.
In 2000, Bill was instrumental in starting the local New
Horizons Band, a group of men and woman ranging in age from 50 to
80+, who want to start or continue playing a music instrument in a
band. Under Bill’s leadership, the group has more than doubled in
size since its beginning and has developed a broad repertoire of
band music. The group presents several free concerts per year and
numerous musical programs for community groups.
Bill's love of Big Band music has always been a part him. He
played in the Chuck Bisgrove and Jack Runyan band for many years
throughout Ohio and adjacent areas After he moved to Iowa, where
there was a lack of groups playing big band music, he started the
Bill Shepherd Big Band in 1979. Since then, the band has become
the premier Big Band throughout Northeast Iowa. The Bill Shepherd
Big Band recorded an LP, “Big Band Sounds,” in 1981 and “Ballroom
Memories,” a CD which was released in March 2003.
The Bill Shepherd Combo and Bill Shepherd’s “Red Hots”
Dixieland Band, two groups that grew out of the Big Band,
frequently perform at both public and private events.Bill also
shares his musical talents at church, playing solos and in brass
groups for special music programs throughout the year.
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