Bill Sims Jr.
June 23, 1949 - February 2, 2019
This story was first published on the Central Ohio Musicians blog in 2017. It appears here in its original form.
Born in Marion, Ohio, Bill Sims, Jr., comes from a family that emphasized religion and music - the blues and gospel. Bill was a quick learner. By age 4, he was picking out tunes on an old piano in the living room. Throughout his school years, Bill learned to play several instruments and explored several musical genres.
After attending Marion Harding High School, Bill attended Ohio State University, while continuing to play music. In the early 1970s, Bill joined the Four Mints, the popular Columbus group that recorded several soulful tracks for Bill Moss' Capsoul Records.
Sims' Heritage Blues Orchestra's first album And Still I Rise, garnered critical acclaim and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Blues Album of 2013. A review by American Roots UK noted that "this tremendous album just about covers the length and breadth of African American roots music."
To Bill, the title of the album fits. "It expresses so well the African American experience as found in writers such as Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou." The title was inspired by Angelou's poem "Still I Rise".
Sims has composed music for several theater productions. he won the OBIE award for best original compositions for the stage version of Lackawanna Blues. Sims performed his original music on stage every night.
Sims composed original music for two of August Wilson's plays, Jitney and Seven Guitars. For his work on Jitney, Bill Sims won the 2017 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play. The Drama Desk is the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway compete in the same category.
Sims has worked in film as well. He wrote the music for Miss Ruby's House, performing on the American Gangster soundtrack (2007), and serving as a technical advisor on Cadillac Records (2008). There's also a good chance you've heard Bill Sims' on television. He's been the voice on several commercials. Bill Sims' latest recording project, Bill On Bob, is an entire album of Dylan tunes. Ranging from the blues to soul to folk to country, the 11 recordings are given Sims' unique and compelling interpretation.
