I come from a big family (8 in all).  Our folks had us all singing  and playing instruments as soon as we could hold onto them properly.  Dad (Bill Sr.) sang bass and Mom played piano.  Big Band Swing, Western Swing, and Rock 'n  Roll were staples.  In 1953, The Rhythm Pals were playing at Dad's company Christmas  Party. This was my first time seeing a live band and I was awestruck. They wore beautiful cowboy suits, and their music was Western Swing!  I took my gift  from Santa, shook his hand and thanked him,  but I couldn't take my eyes off the band, and I missed the first step off the stage and fell...flat on my  face, and in love with Western Swing.  I got my first guitar when I was 13  and perservered with lessons for six months.  As my tenor voice evolved, I was able to sing harmony with Dad.  By the early 70's, I was a young family man with two kids and a day job swinging wrenches for Conair Aviation.  I formed a band, called  Tobacco Road with three other guys and we played the legions, cabarets, and  dancehalls of the Fraser Valley.   Between then and now my life happened.  Dad died prematurely at 56, my marriage broke up, I had several career changes: from aircraft  mechanic, to barman, to trucker to excavator/contractor to my current occupation  as instructor and Vice Principal at Operators Training School in Langley.

   In 1995,  I met Andreas Schuld, who was an instructor of "Tricks  and Licks" at the Georgia Straight Guitar Workshop weekend at Camp Alexander in Crescent Beach.  We hit it off right away and all the pickin' we did over the next few years led to the making of this CD. We  collaborated with a tremendous collection of players. 

   The mixture includes old friends with whom I had played over the years,  Brian Nicholl and Rob Walker ("Stillwater"), J.D. Harrington and Daryl Sherman.  In addition, dedicated professionals  Andreas Schuld, Brian Newcombe, Billy  Mendoza, Peter Padden, Jeff Bradshaw, Tony Michaels, Jesse Zubot, Ron Thaler, Adam Rohrlick, Chris Nordquist, Shawn Soucy, Gord Maxwell, Ron Vaugeois and Larry Pink (a.k.a.The Kitsilano Cowboys) put the "big city" polish on this project.   The title, "Five Bucks A Lick" alludes to a  little  joke I had with Brian (Lots 'o Licks) Nicholl.  Whenever I would show up at a Stillwater gig, I would greet him with a "high five" meaning I'd give him five bucks for each new lick he'd show me on the guitar.  Musically, country singers like Jimmy Rodgers, Hank Sr, Bob Wills, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Merle, Willie & Waylon, continue to be a strong  influence.  I am also very partial to Frank Sinatra's smooth delivery and phrasing.

  At 51, I feel I have it all.  I have two wonderful grown-up children, Paul 30 & Shauna 29, and two amazing grandchildren, Markus 3 and  Hannah 9 months.  My wife, Marilyn and I live in a lovely home in South Surrey.  I am the Vice Principal of the Operator's Training School in Langley, where we train heavy equipment operators how to run earth moving equipment. 

   Leisure pursuits include making as much music as I can, playing  golf, surfing the web and spending a few weeks each summer at The Bay of Quinte in Ontario.

   Whatever comes of this CD in the future, it has already given me greater joy than I could have wished for.