Introduction
Bill Page (September 11, 1925 – April 26, 2017) was an American reed player, band leader, and entrepreneur who was best known for his work in the Lawrence Welk Band.
Early life
Page is a World War II veteran of the European theater, serving in the US Army. He attended Wright Junior College (now known as Wilbur Wright College).
Early musical career
Page played with Del Courtney and Boyd Raeburn before joining the Lawrence Welk Show in 1951.
Lawrence Welk Show
Bill Page played 14 reed instruments including five saxophones, four clarinets, flute, piccolo, oboe, English Horn and bassoon. He was often featured in numbers in which he played numerous instrumentsaccompanied by Welk's orchestra.
After the Lawrence Welk Show
Page left the Lawrence Welk Show in 1965 and went on to perform with Barry Manilow, Ted Mack, Frank Gorshin, Judy Garland, and on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Personal life
Page would eventually settle permanently in Studio City, California. He is the father of musician and entrepreneur Scott Page of Pink Floyd, Supertramp, and Toto fame and host on syndicated radio show Business Rockstars, as well as Tanya Page, an executive at Sony.
Page died on April 26, 2017 at the age of 91.