Bill Meyers(I)
- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Multi-faceted. If there was only one word used to describe Bill Meyers, it would have to be multi-faceted. In addition to being an accomplished musician Meyers has produced, arranged, composed, and orchestrated music for some of the world's most prolific artists.
His credits read like a who's who of American music: Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Robin Thicke, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Donna Summers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Brian McKnight and many more. As if this weren't enough, he's also composed, arranged, & conducted music for films such as DreamGirls, Armed & Dangerous, Dick Tracy, & Team America: World Police.
Meyers demonstrated a love for the arts at an early age, but it was his family's old Hammond organ where he found his true calling. A few years (& lessons) later, Meyers became an accomplished classical organist. While on scholarship at DePaul University, he discovered jazz & began recording the music he was making. One of these demos found its way into the hands of Canadian pop star Gino Vannelli who invited him to join his band as a keyboardist for 4 years. After that, he did tours with artists like George Duke, Boz Scaggs, Lou Rawls and Madonna. Maurice White of the groundbreaking super group Earth, Wind and Fire came across Meyers' music in 1979, which lead to a long and fruitful association. Over the years, Bill has co-produced, composed, arranged and played on a number of EWF albums. He co-scored the TV series "Life is Wild", & collaborated on original music & orchestrated the Broadway play "Hot Feet" in 2006.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, Meyers joined the prestigious ranks of the industry's most requested studio musicians. As a songwriter, his compositions were recorded by performers like EWF, Neil Diamond, Donna Summer, Rufus, Jennifer Holiday, the Emotions, Patti Austin, Rufus, Brian McKnight and others.
As an arranger, Meyers topped the charts with his string arrangement for Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" as well as arrangements on her Like a Prayer and I'm Breathless albums. Additionally, Meyers arranged the horns on the classic EWF track "Let's Groove", the strings on the Bee Gee remake "Emotion" by Destiny's Child and orchestration on Brian McKnight's "Back at One". Bill has over 35 top ten single arrangements & 8 number ones.
Meyers' creativity was not limited exclusively to other artists. In the midst of his extensive work with other artists, he managed to find the time to record three solo albums - the Grammy nominated, all-instrumental Images, his first vocal LP The Color of Truth, and All Things In Time.
The greatest thrill for Bill is writing to picture. As a kid, he remembered hearing Jerry Goldsmith's brilliant score of the movie Patton and thinking, "that's what I want to do someday". In addition to the previously mentioned films, Meyers also composed the score to All's Fair (1989) and If You Only Knew (2001), as well as music for the hit series Falcon Crest (ABC), The Maury Povich Show (CBS) and Inside the NBA (TNT).
In 2011 Bill composed, orchestrated, & conducted Opening & Closing Ceremonies music for the Pan American Games, & in 2013 for the Central American Games. In addition, he composed a 14 minute Ballet & Closing music for the 150th celebration of Cinco DeMayo held in Puebla, Mexico. In 2017, "Images" was re-released on Warrior Records. All three of Bill's projects will be out by the end of 2021.
In 2021 Bill orchestrated & conducted a 52 minute suite of music for composer Tom Hormel at 20th Century Fox's soundstage with 68 piece symphonic orchestra. He recently finished scoring music for the soon to be released documentary "First Contact" & will begin to record his first solo acoustic piano project due for release next year.
His credits read like a who's who of American music: Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Robin Thicke, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Donna Summers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Brian McKnight and many more. As if this weren't enough, he's also composed, arranged, & conducted music for films such as DreamGirls, Armed & Dangerous, Dick Tracy, & Team America: World Police.
Meyers demonstrated a love for the arts at an early age, but it was his family's old Hammond organ where he found his true calling. A few years (& lessons) later, Meyers became an accomplished classical organist. While on scholarship at DePaul University, he discovered jazz & began recording the music he was making. One of these demos found its way into the hands of Canadian pop star Gino Vannelli who invited him to join his band as a keyboardist for 4 years. After that, he did tours with artists like George Duke, Boz Scaggs, Lou Rawls and Madonna. Maurice White of the groundbreaking super group Earth, Wind and Fire came across Meyers' music in 1979, which lead to a long and fruitful association. Over the years, Bill has co-produced, composed, arranged and played on a number of EWF albums. He co-scored the TV series "Life is Wild", & collaborated on original music & orchestrated the Broadway play "Hot Feet" in 2006.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, Meyers joined the prestigious ranks of the industry's most requested studio musicians. As a songwriter, his compositions were recorded by performers like EWF, Neil Diamond, Donna Summer, Rufus, Jennifer Holiday, the Emotions, Patti Austin, Rufus, Brian McKnight and others.
As an arranger, Meyers topped the charts with his string arrangement for Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" as well as arrangements on her Like a Prayer and I'm Breathless albums. Additionally, Meyers arranged the horns on the classic EWF track "Let's Groove", the strings on the Bee Gee remake "Emotion" by Destiny's Child and orchestration on Brian McKnight's "Back at One". Bill has over 35 top ten single arrangements & 8 number ones.
Meyers' creativity was not limited exclusively to other artists. In the midst of his extensive work with other artists, he managed to find the time to record three solo albums - the Grammy nominated, all-instrumental Images, his first vocal LP The Color of Truth, and All Things In Time.
The greatest thrill for Bill is writing to picture. As a kid, he remembered hearing Jerry Goldsmith's brilliant score of the movie Patton and thinking, "that's what I want to do someday". In addition to the previously mentioned films, Meyers also composed the score to All's Fair (1989) and If You Only Knew (2001), as well as music for the hit series Falcon Crest (ABC), The Maury Povich Show (CBS) and Inside the NBA (TNT).
In 2011 Bill composed, orchestrated, & conducted Opening & Closing Ceremonies music for the Pan American Games, & in 2013 for the Central American Games. In addition, he composed a 14 minute Ballet & Closing music for the 150th celebration of Cinco DeMayo held in Puebla, Mexico. In 2017, "Images" was re-released on Warrior Records. All three of Bill's projects will be out by the end of 2021.
In 2021 Bill orchestrated & conducted a 52 minute suite of music for composer Tom Hormel at 20th Century Fox's soundstage with 68 piece symphonic orchestra. He recently finished scoring music for the soon to be released documentary "First Contact" & will begin to record his first solo acoustic piano project due for release next year.
