Bill Stegmeyer
b. 8 October 1916, Detroit, Michigan, USA, d. 19 August 1968. Stegmeyer began playing clarinet and saxophones while still at school, then joined the Austin Wylie band. A colleague there was Billy Butterfield, a friend from his university days. While with the Wylie band Stegmeyer also arranged and worked on local radio. In 1938 he joined Glenn Miller and the following year played in Bob Crosby's band. His interest in arranging gradually superseded his playing and in later decades he worked extensively in radio in Detroit and New York. From time to time he made appearances with jazz groups, among them the band co-led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart. Very highly regarded by fellow musicians, the direction taken by Stegmeyer in his career resulted in his being little known by fans. He died in August 1968.