BILL “The Professor” WEHBE, Keyboards
Bill was born in Easton, PA and started playing piano when he was about 13 years old. At Easton High School, he was part of the concert choir and the drama club and started writing his own songs his junior year.

After High school, Bill moved to Boston, Mass and attended the Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 1991 from Berklee with a Bachelors Degree in Music. While at Berklee, Bill took part in several music groups and bands and was a resident piano accompanist to many of the school vocalists. Some of his original songs were used for studio recording projects and were performed by other students. He also won a couple of songwriting contests. After graduation, Bill stayed in Boston working at Tower Records by day and continued to make music by night.

After spending over 6 years in Boston, Bill decided to move back to the Lehigh Valley area. The idea of being a big fish in a little pond instead of a little fish in a big pond prevailed. It also paid off. In 1998 Bill met the love of his life, Traci, who is now his wife (Bill wrote their wedding song). After several years of not playing piano or writing music, Traci convinced Bill that he should start playing and writing again and once he did, wonderful things started to happen.

Bill started playing keyboards for his wife’s band “Redz Vision”, then started a short-lived but exciting blues/Rock band with some old friends called “Three Shot Limit”. In 2003, Bill met New Jersey jazz/cabaret vocalist Jean Avery and became her permanent accompanist. “The Jean Avery Duo” has played everywhere from Easton, PA to New York City and continues to perform today.

Since 1985, Bill has written over 150 original songs and has performed with hundreds of musicians in every musical style you can imagine. Along with keyboards, Bill also plays percussion and backing vocals.

In 2003, The Villas were looking for a new keyboard player and a mutual friend recommended Bill, thinking he’d be a good match. He was right, in February of 2004, Bill joined the Villas as their permanent keyboardist and has been with them ever since.

Bill’s influences: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, John Hiatt, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Lou Reed, The Band, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., The Smiths, and The Cure.

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