Bill Kelly: McCook music man

Bill Kelly's 1952 McCook Band, top, in his prime, above left, and in his Lawrence, Kan., days, right. [Click to enlarge]

Bill began pursuing a music education at the University of Nebraska before World War II. When war broke out he joined the army, and defying the Army cliché of putting men into positions where they have absolutely no training, Bill became a member of the band, and soon became conductor of that band.

Kelly's Army band was assigned to a replacement depot in New Caledonia, in the Pacific theater. From that base they played for the troops in Australia, New Zealand, and even Guadalcanal, only a short time after the fighting had stopped at that key battle site.

The band played a brief concert every night, before movies were shown. Kelly started out playing overtures and marches at these concerts, just like the music the band had performed at concerts back in McCook. It wasn't long before Kelly realized that they would have liven up the music if they were to keep their audiences interested.

Said Kelly, "Army guys told you exactly what they wanted, and if you didn't give it to them they'd let you know fast, and in no uncertain terms!"

Soon Kelly added a dance band, which was showcased during the concerts. That band played the latest music from "back home." Kelly would direct the concert band in a march and a loud, fast overture, then sit in with the dance band, playing saxophone, for a few popular numbers, like "In the Mood" or "Stardust," ala Glen Miller or Tommy Dorsey. The two bands would trade back and forth. The GI audience enjoyed everything.

Bill's musical education had begun at an extremely early age. His father, the leader of the McCook School Band, thought that it would be beneficial for Bill (and the McCook Band) if he was familiar with a number of musical instruments and by the time Bill entered high school he was quite proficient on most of the school instruments. Leo Kelly was a strict taskmaster when it came to the band -- but his bands were good, and the community was very proud of its band. Leo Kelly also produced many fine musicians. Among Bill Kelly's MHS contemporaries were Harold Larmon, Elwood Best, Jean Klein, and Lamoine Keene, all of whom used, and enjoyed their music all their lives.

I first met Bill Kelly at the University of Nebraska in 1946. Bill had come back from the war to resume his studies at the University under longtime UN director, Don Lentz, who immediately named Kelly as the band's student director. Those duties included assisting Lentz in preparing the marching band's half-time shows at football games, directing the pep band at basketball games, and organizing music for shows.

Kelly also acted as Lentz's representative and chief rules enforcer on band trips to other schools for football migrations. In those days the UN marching band was an ROTC unit and was made up entirely of men, though women were eligible to play in the winter symphonic band. By 1946 veterans were returning to school, and to the band. These veterans were older and didn't take kindly to following a lot of rules they thought were frivolous, but Bill Kelly had a sense of humor, and commanded enough respect from the men that usually he had no trouble keeping everyone in line on those long train trips.

Kelly completed his work at NU in 1948, and with a new bride, Barbara, returned to McCook, where he replaced his father as director of the MHS band. He was immediately successful, building on his father's work, with fresh enthusiasm and new ideas from his University training and his wartime band experience.

He was intense in his work with the band. Some claimed that he was a perfectionist, and at times, working with high school students, he became a bit frustrated. He regularly emphasized a point he was trying to make by hitting his music stand with his director's baton.

Rumor had it that he bought his batons by the dozen, for it was a rare week that he didn't break at least one baton. He had yard markers painted on the two blocks of street in front of the high school (on West 1st St.) It was here that the band toiled each morning learning marching maneuvers for the football half-time shows.

The bandsmen and women might have grumbled a bit, but their hard work paid off in Superior ratings at District, State, even National competitions. In looking back at their band experience his students have nothing but highest praise for Bill Kelly.

After 10 years at MHS, Bill Kelly took a job at Western State College in Gunnison Colo., where he was also successful. But after two years he left, with Barbara and their four children, to pursue a doctorate in music education at the U. of Kansas.

In a strange twist of fate, after Kelly received his music degree, he took a job in administration at KU, eventually retiring, in 1987, as Dean of Educational Services. But even while leaving music as a career Kelly began building his legacy -- in music.

Kelly began playing the clarinet in the Lawrence City Band in the 1960s. At that time they played in shopping centers. People milled around, carrying packages, and listened to the music, but there was no place to sit down. When Kelly became conductor of the band in 1970 he moved the concerts to South Park Bandstand (now known as William Kelly Bandstand), where people could sit on lawn chairs, converse with friends, and enjoy the music.

With some 50 University and area bandsmen making up the band, the music became top-notch -- overtures, marches, show tunes -- and the concerts were extremely popular with people from Lawrence and the surrounding area.

Perhaps even more important to Kelly's musical legacy was his involvement with bell choirs at the Lawrence Plymouth Congregational Church. He was introduced, almost against his will, to this form of music by Barbara, who thought it interesting. But, over time he embraced the bells and raised "Ringing of Bells" to a new level.

By 1988 the church had two adult bell choirs, four training choirs, and one traveling choir. Instead of the simple tunes usually associated with bell choirs, Kelly had his people playing "real music." The choirs, using Kelly's own arrangements of The William Tell Overture, Stars & Stripes Forever, Sabre Dance, and music from Cats and other Broadway shows, were very popular, in his church, and throughout the community.

As in his bands, Bill sought perfection with his bell ringers. At one church service, before the entire congregation, Bill became incensed with a number. He tore up the music and soundly dressed down his choir. (They never played that number again.)

For a number of years Kelly took his Festival Ringers -- five octaves of bells, and 14 ringers -- on the road.

The choir traveled to Great Britain, Continental Europe, the East Coast, Hawaii, and Michigan, among other trips. Bill made the music, but Barbara made all the travel arrangements, and handled the details of the trip.

Ringers paid two-thirds of the cost, while various fund raisers covered the other third. There was always a waiting list for members who wanted to join the tours.

Bill Kelly, a very dedicated Music Man from McCook, a legend in Lawrence Kan., passed away in November 1998. He is buried in the Lawrence cemetery.

Source: Topeka Capitol- Journal, University Daily Kansan, MHS yearbooks