Inducted 2005

Bill was born June 22, 1924 in Abbeville, SC.  His rise to the pinnacle of success in Southern Gospel Music came perhaps more rapidly than any other Gospel Music artist ever.  He had only sung professionally for a little over a year when he joined the Blackwood Brothers in 1952. 

Bill sang with the Harmonights in 1950, the Southland Quartet and the All-American Quartet in 1951 and only six months later, he was singing tenor with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet.  During his 21-year tenure with the Blackwood Brothers, his smooth tenor voice was featured on many of the group’s biggest songs and today he is remembered as one of Southern Gospel’s all-time greatest tenors.  

He also penned many songs the group performed, including "I’m Thankful, That’s All," and "The Way is the Way of the Cross."  Bill retired from professional singing in October of 1973.