…No, not that Bill Cosby. If you were not involved in the accordion festivals and competitions in the 1950s and 60s, you may not remember the other Bill Cosby. However, if you were involved at that time, you would remember Bill as one of the top accordionists in the world. He held the title of the ATG US National Accordion Champion for four consecutive years, 1964-67. Thankfully, after leaving the instrument for 30 years, he is playing again and playing well. Bill is a truly gifted, accomplished musician, and hecombines his amazing skills with a passion that is mesmerizing.

William Cosby, born and raised in California, discovered and fell in love with the accordion at a very young age. His supportive family found the best teachers for him, including Tito Guidotti and Anthony Galla-Rini, and they took him to workshops with the greats such as Charles Magnante, John Molinari and Johnny LaPadula. He rose to the top quickly, winning competitions during a time when the good accordionists were competing with hundreds and sometimes thousands. Those were enjoyable years for the hard-working, young musician.

Now living in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Bill has had a successful career, he has continued to play and compose music, and to conduct. But, he played the piano mostly, and eventually, he sold his beloved accordions. 30 years later, upon receiving a treasured old Excelsior accordion from General William Knowlton, a recently deceased dear friend and former Superintendent at the U.S Military Academy at West Point, Bill picked up the instrument and began to play again. A spark was lit. In an effort to find a repairman for this old accordion, Bill met my good friend, the fine accordionist and repairman, Dale Wise. Bill speaks about meeting Dale:

“Dale’s sincerity, warmth, and genuine love of the accordion reminded me of the passion so many accordionists have for their instrument. He helped me get started again with things like music and other necessities to help bring the General’s Excelsior back to life. He also began almost immediately to introduce me to other local accordionists and activities.”

Dale invited me and my husband, Dan, to his beautiful farm to hear Bill play. “You will be blown away!” said the excited Dale, and blown away we were! The very personable Bill Cosby played so incredibly well that it was a shock to learn that he had just started playing six weeks earlier. I watched Bill, and I watched Dale’s beaming face and was reminded of the times that Dale rekindled the love of the accordion in me, and encouraged me to always be all that I could be. “Yes you can there, Joanie!” are words I have heard many times from this dear man.

Bill and I spoke for a while at Dale’s. He described the Giulietti Bassetti accordion he wished he had never sold. I suddenly realized that he was describing Amy Jo Sawyer’s accordion. Bill said he had heard of Amy Jo, as she is well-known as an accomplished jazz accordionist. I told Bill that I would ask Amy Jo to see if she knew of one that might be for sale. That evening on the phone, a surprised and delighted Amy Jo said that Bill was the reason she purchased her Giulietti many years ago. “Joan, your friend, Frank Petrilli has one!” said Amy Jo. I was so excited. I called Frank. Not only was Frank Petrilli, a wonderful jazz musician from California, willing to sell the instrument, but he told me that it was in pristine condition. Before the week was up, Bill was the happy owner of, what turned out to be, “the instrument of his dreams”. Amy Jo describes her feelings about reconnecting with Bill:

“I was living in California and heard Bill and Anthony Galla-Rini perform in a concert. Bill was a young protégé of Mr. GR. I was so impressed with the Bassetti system and his wonderful performance, that I knew that was the new accordion I wanted. It is so interesting that both Bill and I studied with Mr. GR and that in some “crazy circumstance” I can now “give back” to Bill for his wonderful inspiration to me. I sat next to Frank Petrilli in the Frank Marocco Orchestra last year and he told me he had purchased a Giulietti Bassetti just like mine. How could I forget that? And now to make a wonderful connection for Bill to again have the instrument he wanted makes me “very happy”!”

How very wonderful to be a part of this amazing story of kindness and coincidences. Bill Cosby is now playing his Giulietti Bassetti and I’m sure everyone will have the opportunity to hear him in concert again very soon. Bill is also writing his memories about his life in the accordion world. I saw his preliminary manuscript – a must for the shelves of all accordionists, when it is published!

Anyone wishing to contact Bill can e-mail him at WHCosby@gmail.com.