Bill Phipps- Small Cog in a Big Motor
My music journey started when I was five. That’s when I started taking drum lessons with June Levis. I remember that Christmas very well. It was one of the many great moments in my life. I played drums on and off for most of my childhood until I reached middle school.
I attended Turkey Foot Middle School and then Dixie High School. That is when I fell in love with marching band. I was a snare drummer the year that Dixie won the state championship. That year I played snare for the Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corp which was an amazing experience.
With Glassmen I toured the US and Canada for a summer. I entered in DCM and DCI solo contests for snare. I did well and was named the number one high school snare drummer in the US. Glassmen was a learning experience that has helped shaped the person I am today. With Glassmen I toured the US and Canada for a summer.
After graduating from Simon Kenton High School I attended Morehead State to pursue a major in music education. Due to my father developing medical problems, I moved back home to get a job to help out my family. Not to mention some of the interesting people I have met.
This is when I started my career working for Willis Music in 1994. It has been one heck of a ride and a daily joy to be around music. Right now with Willis Music I have 5 departments that report to me on a daily basis; Accessory Buying, Web, Marketing, Print Buying, IT. The music industry is one of the fastest moving and most challenging businesses to be part of.
As a family man, if I am not working around the farm I am kayaking or camping. I love trying new challenges and tinkering with things, whether it is running sound, photography, or beating on metal in my blacksmith shop. To relax I love reading comic books. My favorite comic is “I Hate Fairyland”.
