Bill "Blind Willy" Dineen -- Trumpet -- The Shingle Shakers
I was born on August 21, 1949, in Middletown, Ohio. In 1959, I heard on the radio the "Sugar Blues" recorded by Clyde McCoy (playing trumpet) in 1922. He played the song with his "wa-wa", and that is what made me want to play the trumpet. As a young musician I began to listen to Louis Armstrong (whom I heard "live" at Tan Tara in the Ozarks in 1966) and other iconic heroes which helped me to begin an avid appreciation for the Dixieland Jazz Art form. In 1965, my family moved from Ohio to St. Louis, Missouri. I attended Chaminade High School, and entered the University of Missouri as a 1967 freshman Business Major. That very year I participated in the "Marching Mizzou Band." The next year in 1968, I enrolled as a music major at Meramec St. Louis Community Jr College.
The following year, in 1969, I volunteered for the U.S. Air Force at the height of the Vietnam War. Shortly thereafter, I developed an overactive thyroid condition, and was honorably and medically discharged from the United States Air Force. In August, 1969, I enrolled at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri, as a music major.
Shortly thereafter, I wandered into "Shakey's Pizza Parlor" in Columbia, Missouri, and the rest was history. I began to "sit in" on Thursday evenings and loved it so much that I became a regular player in the band. Eventually, I began playing several nights a week in the band for the next few years. Shortly before my graduation from Central Methodist College in 1973, the band disbanded. After graduation, I taught music at Valley Park High School in
St. Louis. After two years, I began working for the St. Louis County Special Education School System using music as a therapeutic tool. In 1977, I received a Master's Degree in Special Education from Webster University in St. Louis and I began working in the St. Charles, Missouri school district as a special education instructor. In 1986, I received a Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of Missouri at St. Louis. My strong background in counseling and music therapy proved to be highly beneficial in working with handicapped students. In 2002, I retired from the City of St. Charles School District at St. Charles West High School as Department Chair of the Special Education Department. After a year of relaxing in bed, I decided that it was time to go back to work. I accepted a position in O'Fallon, Missouri with St. Dominic High School as a feeder elementary band instructor (road job working at 6 parochial schools).
Over the past several years I have played in numerous bands in the St. Louis area. In the early 80's I had my own Dixieland Band on the St. Louis Riverfront. Over the years I have played in bands that include the styles of Dixieland, Big Band, Bebop, Pop, Rock, and R&B. While in college at Central Methodist College I picked up the
saxophone and the flute and continue to use them today along with my trumpet. I currently play with a variety of bands including: (all St.Louis Bands )......Mojo Tooth Blues Band; Voodoo Blues Band – http://www.voodoobluesband.com We play the blues every Sunday from 4-8 in the historic soulard district just down the street from the arch. It is a fun afternoon, and a fun band to play with. Lots of musicians and sit-in's.-- 2 c.d.s released; Howard Funk Big Band; and Clarion Jazz Quartet. -- -- According to Blackdog Blues Band history . . . "the most colorful new member of Blackdog, was Blind Willy (Bill Dineen ). Again the focus shifted to showcase this avante garde sax and trumpet powerhouse. Vocalist Pamela was sharing the spotlight with Willy and covering a good part of the vocals from a new perspective, total soul."
My Grandfather, (same name), William R. Dineen (1872-1956) was a poet and musician. In 1911, he composed and published a song entitled, "Peek-A-Boo-With-The-Moon ". I have commissioned this piece to be performed in the Spring of 2005 by the St. Dominic Concert Band and Choir.
My family is quite musical. My wife, Jan, is a torch singer. I have two children: Michael, who plays the trumpet when the spirit moves him; and my daughter, Cara, who plays the baritone sax, and sings jazz.
Of all the bands that I have ever played with I must confess the "Shingle Shakers" tops the list.