Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore William “Bill” McKee Obituary
Published by Legacy Remembers on Sep. 12, 2025.
Horseshoe Lake – Musician and educator William “Bill” McBride McKee set down his baton and died peacefully surrounded by his family and their love on August 28, 2025, at his home on Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas, after a long battle with Parkinsons. He was 78.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 30, 1946, Bill was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Bumpus) McKee. He attended Little Flower Catholic School and graduated from Christian Brothers High School in 1965. A gifted saxophone student, he earned a band scholarship to Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis), where he performed with the MSU concert and jazz bands until his graduation in 1970.

Bill began his teaching career as a band director at Bellevue Junior High School in 1970, where he taught until 1982. It was at Bellevue that he formed the Bellevue Jazz Rock Ensemble and became known around the school system as the “Count Basie of Memphis City Schools”, a moniker that he carried with him when he left. He then led the bands at Central High School (The High School) from 1982 until his retirement from Memphis City Schools in 2000. Under his direction, both bands earned recognition at competitions and exhibitions across the country. A career highlight came in 1988 when the Central High School Warrior Marching and Jazz Bands performed in Ireland for Dublin’s Millennium Celebration and St. Patrick’s Day Parade. After his retirement, Bill returned to his alma mater as Assistant to the Band Director at Christian Brothers High School, where he led the school’s jazz band, Walnut Groove, until retiring again in 2020. Even after formally retiring, Bill continued to teach private lessons to aspiring musicians. Over the course of his five decades as a music educator, Bill shaped the lives of hundreds of students, not only as a teacher, but as a mentor, friend, and inspiration whose influence extended far beyond the classroom.

In addition to his teaching, Bill played saxophone with a local band, The Rhythm Hounds, for nearly thirty years starting in the mid-1980s. He also performed as a soloist with the Memphis Symphony in 1982 and in 2014 with the Christian Brothers Alumni Concert Band. Bill was also a talented guitar player, which he enjoyed playing with family and friends.