Bill's Bio

Some time in the last century a southern boy from a not so small town had the idea that he wanted to play music for the rest of his life.

With the help of his mother, Bill Amey was educated at the University of North Carolina School of Music in Greensboro, North Carolina where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree.

He began to work weekends with entertainers like Barbara Eden (“I Dream of Jeanie”), Aaron Purdie (drummer for James Brown), The Modulations (Buddah Records).  Bill appeared with Barbara Eden (I Dream Of Jeannie), Millie Jackson, and other major acts traveling through North Carolina. Upon graduation Bill relocated to New York where he gave most of his attention to the jazz idiom.

He was fortunate enough to continue his study of music with trombonists of historic stature: J. J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller, and Slide Hampton as well as becoming a student at Jazzmobile, a Manhattan-based summer study program for young musicians operated by Dr. Billy Taylor, The Heath Brothers, Curtis Fuller, Frank Foster and others.

Bill’s first international tour came when Hugh Maskela auditioned him for the band.  That tour opened the door to radio, television, and live performances with artists such as Cecil Payne, Bob Trowers, Wallace Roney, Steve Torre and Tom Harrell, to name a few.

Whether playing in an orchestra, big band, jazz ensemble, or small group, Bill Amey continues to have things to say musically.