Bill Krenz

Pianist, composer, songwriter and conductor. At 13, he was a member of a piano-violin duo on a Mississippi riverboat, then appeared with a minstrel show for ten years. He organized the Dixieland All-Stars, played piano with the Paul Biese Orchestra, and toured with the Jean Goldkette orchestra, playing in hotels, theatres and night clubs. He was the pianist for the ABC Radio "Breakfast Club" between 1933 and 1962. Joining ASCAP in 1944, his chief musical collaborator was Sammy Gallop, and his popular-song and instrumental compositions include "My Old Home Town", "Pianola Rag", "River Blues", "Concertina Polka", "I Bow My Head in Silent Prayer", "Inspiration Time", "Starlight Rendezvous", "Whispering Rain", "Who's Gonna Take Susie Home?", "We Shall Be Free", "Roundhouse Cappricioso", "United Victory March", "Boogie Woogie Russian Rag", "Raggin' the Blues", and others.