Bill Stafford

Arranger, orchestrator, vocalist, pianist, and trumpeter from California Stafford started his musical career with his father Jesse Stafford (2), playing trumpet in his band in San Francisco. He also wrote arrangements for the band, which lead to him learning to play the piano. After World War II, he continued his studies at UC Berkeley where he met his wife, Marge Stafford. Following graduation, they married in 1948 and moved to Los Angeles. While Marge played with some all-female orchestras, Bill kept busy by making arrangements for others. In the mid-1950s they got the idea to form the trio The Staffords (2), and eventually signed a contract with Decca. In the 1960s, Stafford worked for MGM for six years, where he worked with film composers such as Alex North and Miklós Rózsa, and on several Elvis Presley films. He also conducted shows for Kay Starr and other singers, and played at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. After working 25 years in Los Angeles, in 1969 the Staffords decided to move to the Napa Valley. Bill continued to arrange and play music, and often commuting between Napa and Los Angeles. He also orchestrated grand night club shows in Paris (Lido de Paris), Las Vegas, and Reno (Bally's "Hello, Hollywood, Hello"; MGM Grand Hotels). They were both also very involved in the local music scene, and performed hundreds of private gigs and public events in the Napa Valley area. Born: 1921 Died: 2004