Bill Davis - In Tune Dawg

Bill describes his childhood physique as “cubbish” and was “sort of OK” in sports growing up in Natchitoches, Louisiana.  He excelled in sports that did not involve endurance, like ping pong and badminton.  Music was in the family genes as Bill’s father was the band director at Northwestern State College (now Northwestern State University of Louisiana).  Bill graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Music and Masters in Music degrees.   While a Jay Hawk, he met his bride of over forty years, Jolene.  Bill completed graduate school at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York earning a Doctors of Music Arts degree.

Bill on left with his brother BobLike many of us in the Vietnam era, the Army decided that Bill should be in tune with the service.  Bill was unable to draw combat pay while stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco.  As a member of the Adjutant General Branch (human resources for you non military types), Bill was selected as the Sixth Army Staff Band Officer.  As Bill described it, he “did a job for the Army that he was qualified to do”.  He traveled in the then Sixth Army area (the northwestern United States) inspecting National Guard and Army Reserve Military Bands.  His new bride also enjoyed being stationed near the ocean, the Sierras, wine country and a multitude of cultural attractions.  The units he inspected were located in prime vacation areas such as Seattle, Phoenix, Portland, Los Angles, Reno and Salt Lake City to name a few.      

Jessica, Katie, Jolene and BillLife after military service found Bill as a full time bassoonist/contrabassoonist with the San Antonio Orchestra.  Bill next became a faculty member of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas (better known as WTAMU or What am you!).   In 1981 Bill accepted a position at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, relocating his family to Athens.  At UGA he taught bassoon, composition and theory, later becoming involved in the school of music administration. 

Bill retried from UGA a couple of years ago.  Since they are empty nesters Bill and Jolene have been doing a lot of traveling with their trusty pop up trailer camper that they purchased in 2008. Their daughters Jessica and Katie were born in 1984 and 1986 respectively.  Jessica now lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where she is Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra.  Katie works for the Democratic Party of Kansas and resides in Wichita. Bill and Jolene’s favorite trips are those that involve camping and Bill running one or more races.  Their next trip will be in April when Bill turns sixty-five.  They will be heading  to St. Louis, Missouri where Bill will run the St. Louis Marathon.     

Bill started running in 2003 at age 54 after trying to starve off unwanted pounds.  Bill found that races and participating in running series are “milestones” for the greater goal of keeping fit” and the people who run in them are “pretty amazing!” Without naming a favorite race, Bill likes any race at Sandy Creek Park (with or without the “dam hill”).  Bill has completed fourteen marathons with the first being Tybee.  His philosophy is to run the first twenty miles slowly, then run walk the next 5K portion, and finally “walk, shuffle, limp, or crawl the final leg”.  

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the profile of Barbara Nasworthy and the profile of youthful senior runner Randy Ballew.