Bill Meyers

A versatile pianist, composer, producer, arranger, and conductor, Bill Meyers earned legendary standing among musicians across every genre through his wide-ranging contributions to the field. Among his extensive credits stand collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Brian McKnight, and numerous others. He has also conducted, arranged, or composed for motion pictures including Dreamgirls, Armed & Dangerous, Dick Tracy, and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder.

Although he resides in Los Angeles, Meyers originally comes from Illinois, where an early fascination with the arts surfaced; his musical path crystallized once he encountered the family Hammond organ. Lessons followed, centered on classical training, and performances continued through high school. A scholarship brought him to DePaul University, where he immersed himself in jazz and pop. According to the artist: "Chicago was a big blues town, I also got heavily into R&B while retaining my love for organized music. That's what led me into pop orchestration."

After finishing his studies, he recorded demos of his own writing and arrangements. One reached Gino Vanelli, who engaged Meyers as keyboardist for his band. Recognition of his skills grew rapidly. These accomplishments, reinforced by praise from Vanelli and fellow band members, soon secured touring positions alongside George Duke, Boz Scaggs, Lou Rawls, and Madonna. Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire likewise encountered Meyers' material, initiating a sustained partnership that allowed him to produce, arrange, and perform on several Earth, Wind & Fire albums, among them I Am, Powerlight, Touch the World, and Heritage. In 2006, Meyers co-composed and orchestrated new music with White for the Broadway production Hott Feet.

After moving to Los Angeles in the late '80s, Meyers became one of the most sought-after session musicians in the industry. His contributions appeared on recordings by Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick, Sheila E., and the Four Tops, among others. As a songwriter, his pieces were interpreted by Neil Diamond, Rufus, Donna Summer, and the Emotions, to cite only a selection.

His arranging work reached the top of the pop charts with the string chart for Madonna's hit single "Papa Don't Preach," along with additional charts for her albums Like a Prayer and I'm Breathless. He arranged the horns for the classic Earth, Wind & Fire track "Let's Groove" and Destiny's Child's cover of the Bee Gees' "Emotion," and supplied the orchestration for Brian McKnight's "Back at One."

Beyond the films already noted, Meyers composed extensively for television, encompassing the series Standoff and Life Is Wild as well as The Maury Povitch Show and Inside the NBA.

Meyers maintains an active career as a headline recording artist. His first release, the all-instrumental, orchestral Images from 1986, received a Grammy nomination. He issued The Color of the Truth in 1990 on Japan's Pony Canyon label. Despite an intense schedule of composing, session work, producing, and arranging for other performers, he completed his third album as leader, the 1996 contemporary jazz, world fusion, adult contemporary R&B project All Things in Time, which included a cover of Donny Hathaway's "Valdez in the Country" and a guest appearance by Earth, Wind & Fire on the track "Sky." In 1999, he and White collaborated on and released the score for the animated Japanese TV series Gatchaman. In 2017, the independent Warrior Records re-released All Things in Time.