Country music pioneer, Father of Bakersfield Sound: Played guitar, piano, violin (country fiddle), drums and banjo player with a 1963 hit song "Truck Drivin' Man. He appeared regularly on a country music television show, became a popular disc jockey and toured as a piano player for Merle Haggard. He was also honored in song by Merle Haggard in 1970 named, "Bill Woods from Bakersfield". He took up stock car racing but gave up that career after several injuries.
Bill Woods is credited with giving Buck Owens his first regular job in country music and the twangy sound of Bakersfield. He was also known for his band "Bill Woods and his Orange Blossom Playboys."
Born Billy Lee Woods, son of a Pentecostal preacher, he migrated with his family from Texas where he was born, to California. After finishing high school he worked in the San Francisco shipyards where he played his country music on a guitar. Then he made his way to Bakersfield and Las Vegas and for a time was a piano player and fiddler for Tommy Duncan, vocalist for fellow Texan, Bob Wills.
He is credited with helping to define the music of Nashville West aka Bakersfield where he played with Owens, Haggard, Patsy Cline, Roger Miller, Tex Ritter, Glen Campbell, and Red Simpson.
His wife and nine children survive him.
Bill Woods is credited with giving Buck Owens his first regular job in country music and the twangy sound of Bakersfield. He was also known for his band "Bill Woods and his Orange Blossom Playboys."
Born Billy Lee Woods, son of a Pentecostal preacher, he migrated with his family from Texas where he was born, to California. After finishing high school he worked in the San Francisco shipyards where he played his country music on a guitar. Then he made his way to Bakersfield and Las Vegas and for a time was a piano player and fiddler for Tommy Duncan, vocalist for fellow Texan, Bob Wills.
He is credited with helping to define the music of Nashville West aka Bakersfield where he played with Owens, Haggard, Patsy Cline, Roger Miller, Tex Ritter, Glen Campbell, and Red Simpson.
His wife and nine children survive him.
Country music pioneer, Father of Bakersfield Sound: Played guitar, piano, violin (country fiddle), drums and banjo player with a 1963 hit song "Truck Drivin' Man. He appeared regularly on a country music television show, became a popular disc jockey and toured as a piano player for Merle Haggard. He was also honored in song by Merle Haggard in 1970 named, "Bill Woods from Bakersfield". He took up stock car racing but gave up that career after several injuries.
Bill Woods is credited with giving Buck Owens his first regular job in country music and the twangy sound of Bakersfield. He was also known for his band "Bill Woods and his Orange Blossom Playboys."
Born Billy Lee Woods, son of a Pentecostal preacher, he migrated with his family from Texas where he was born, to California. After finishing high school he worked in the San Francisco shipyards where he played his country music on a guitar. Then he made his way to Bakersfield and Las Vegas and for a time was a piano player and fiddler for Tommy Duncan, vocalist for fellow Texan, Bob Wills.
He is credited with helping to define the music of Nashville West aka Bakersfield where he played with Owens, Haggard, Patsy Cline, Roger Miller, Tex Ritter, Glen Campbell, and Red Simpson.
His wife and nine children survive him.
Bill Woods is credited with giving Buck Owens his first regular job in country music and the twangy sound of Bakersfield. He was also known for his band "Bill Woods and his Orange Blossom Playboys."
Born Billy Lee Woods, son of a Pentecostal preacher, he migrated with his family from Texas where he was born, to California. After finishing high school he worked in the San Francisco shipyards where he played his country music on a guitar. Then he made his way to Bakersfield and Las Vegas and for a time was a piano player and fiddler for Tommy Duncan, vocalist for fellow Texan, Bob Wills.
He is credited with helping to define the music of Nashville West aka Bakersfield where he played with Owens, Haggard, Patsy Cline, Roger Miller, Tex Ritter, Glen Campbell, and Red Simpson.
His wife and nine children survive him.
