Bill began his piping career at the age of 8 in Flint, MI. His major piping instruction was with George R. Duncan from Edinburgh, Scotland and Detroit, Michigan. In 1954 he traveled to Scotland and studied Piobaireachd with Captain Donald R. McLennan. Bill competed successfully in both amateur and professional levels in USA, Canada, and Scotland. He was the first piper from North America to compete in the professional grade in Scotland and the first from the USA to compete in the amateur grade in Scotland. Bill joined the U.S. Air Force Pipe Band in 1959. Bill holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and is a retired Educational Specialist at East Carolina University, School of Medicine.

He now lives in Seven Devils, NC.