In Memory

Bill Ash

Bill Ash

     William O. ("Bill") Ash Jr., passed away on May 20, 2001. Here is his obituary:

 



 
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02/07/09 09:55 PM #1    

Roger Barnes

Bill Ash was a good friend. We had alot in common. We were both Air Force "brats"...both our Dads were AF Colonels and pilots....and we both loved rock music. Bill's talent on the guitar, and his songwriting ability, were far ahead of his peers. All of us brahma guitar bums looked up to Bill...even the multi-talented Jeff Schrieber. Bill's band "The Stoics' was always a standout at the local Battle of the Bands, and they were well ahead of other local rock bands in musicianship and songwriting. Bill, who played a blazing lead guitar on his Rickenbacker (the model John Lennon played) went on to play with a major league rock band, "The Children" and their only recorded album is an underground classic today. Bill penned many of the tunes on the album and his gonzo guitar work distinguished it. When I met up with Bill at the 25th Reunion he looked much the same as he did in High School. He told me he left the music business because it was too uncertain...solidified by his experience in LA where he went from working with The Monkees management team to the entire band living in someones garage after a canceled record deal. He went into Real Estate and then later became wealthy with a beverage dispensing device he patented and which enjoyed hefty use in sports stadiums across America. Bill had become a rich guy, but he was still the same old Bill....a nice, friendly, outgoing guy who always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Bill was chock full of talent and sunshine.... a good guy and a great musician, and I liked him as well as anyone I ever knew.

02/14/09 10:59 PM #2    

Gail Zars

Bill introduced me to my first BAD BOY boyfriend. If it weren't for him, who knows, maybe I would have been one of those popular girls that dated a jock. I'll have to be sure & thank him for that when I get to heaven. Bill was a bonafide, real deal sweetie.

06/25/09 04:51 PM #3    

David Dorsey

Bill "Bee Bop" Ash was a good friend, a confidant, and a great guitarist. He, Todd Johnson (who left MAC after his Junior year, because his Dad was transferred to the Air Force Base in Wichita, KS) and I spent a lot of time together. All 3 of us were military brats, who landed in the area. I guess we were part of the early "hippie" crowd on the Northeast side of town. We spent very little time around the social scene at MacArthur after Sophomore year.

Music was the big focus for Bill, as a member of the Stoics and then The Children, Bill was the quintessential rock 'n roll guitarist. He played beautifully, and wrote many songs over the years. After I left Mac, I spent a lot of time on the road - part-time roadie with The Children and a couple of other local bands.

As with all bands of that genre, the only place to record in Texas in those days was in a funky studio in the 3rd Ward of Houston. It was an old converted house, and we all crashed there many times. Bill was always very high energy, very up - and that was his natural state, thus the nick-name Bee-Bop. Many, many hours spent cruisin' and groovin' with Bill. He also cared deeply about things that mattered, and some of that came through in his music. Many discussions were had about human rights, life after, life before?, friends, how to change the world.... well, you may know the drill.

Somehow I managed to hook up with Bill again as an adult. I believe it was through Ken's earlier efforts, or Classmates.com. This was when he had become successful with the Thirstenders product. We exchanged numerous emails and had several phone conversations. We had both changed our ways a lot, but he was still the upbeat, hardworking BeeBop.

It was very sad to hear of his passing, but I know he was secure in what comes next - and not all of us can say that. Here's to you Bill, I'll love you always my brother!

07/10/10 07:14 PM #4    

Chester Slimp

What a tremendous guy this was.  I knew him for so many years - thru a lot of the phases we all went through.  The Ash parents moved over to where my mother lived (way after H S) - and mom and Ann were neighborhood shakers, fer sure.  Bill had that enduring smile and recieved everybody without falling into any cliques and such.  Ya kinda always expected him to be there with us - and he is lost.  Really liked this guy - sure did.  CS


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