I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a real honor.
BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
Mark, I read with interest your numerous posts extolling Mr Hollenbeck's work and sharing some of his tricks of the trade and such. I am very sorry to hear of his passing; he sounds as though he was a wonderful man. Please play a tune on your Hollenbeck guitar in his honor from us. warm thoughts, Mike
Great guy spent a lot of time with him at the CAAS conventions in Nashville over the years. he always had a booth and it was hard not to play his guitars on a daily basis. always wanted one of his guitars but it never did happen. so sorry to hear this!
I am so sorry, & saddened to hear of Bill's passing. My condolences to his family & dear friends. I met Bill, (& I believe you also), at the Classic American Guitar Show many years ago, & found him to be a really nice & genuine person & a great luthier, who put his heart, soul & great craftsmanship into his creations. You guys obviously had a deep connection & I know it is a major personal loss for you - again, please accept my condolences. I am sure that each of you were & are, the better for having know one another. Please include an 8th note or two from me in your musical tribute to Mr. Hollenbeck at his memorial.
> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
I am so sorry to hear that. I felt like I knew him from your posts, Mark, not to mention that he was one of the few well-known luthiers. My warmest thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
> On Apr 4, 5:36 pm, Mark Cleary <mclea...@verizon.net> wrote:
> > I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> > Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > > real honor.
> > BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
> I am so sorry to hear that. I felt like I knew him from your posts, > Mark, not to mention that he was one of the few well-known luthiers. > My warmest thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
> Greg
I am very sorry to hear that, Mark. When I met you and Bill up in Villa Park, I could tell that you were both fine people to have around. Well, you still have what he left you with.
>I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died very >unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the hospital >with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story short he was >doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar week and working >away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last month that turned out >to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and really only had 3 bad days >before he died. It was in a matter on two day s that he and his family >learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically active > person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have known him > about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man and wonderful > husband and father, and really almost a father figure for myself. Sandy > has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
Wow. Makes you stop and think how fragile life is. I met Bill at a builders show a few years ago. I met a lot of folks but remember very few in detail. Bill I remember because he was very freindly and easy to visit with.
I'm so sorry to hear this. I only met Bill once and found him a very warm "real" person. He also built beautiful guitars. Makes you stop and think about who we leave behind and how we'll be remembered after we're gone.
> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
>I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died very >unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the hospital >with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story short he was >doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar week and working >away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last month that turned out >to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and really only had 3 bad days >before he died. It was in a matter on two day s that he and his family >learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically active > person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have known him > about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man and wonderful > husband and father, and really almost a father figure for myself. Sandy > has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
Bill was not Catholic they went to a Christian Church in Lincoln. I'll have a Mass said at my Parish I still don't have the details on his funeral yet.
Martacus wrote: > On Apr 4, 5:36 pm, Mark Cleary <mclea...@verizon.net> wrote: >> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died >> very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the >> hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story >> short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar >> week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last >> month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and >> really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day >> s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
>> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically >> active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have >> known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man >> and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for >> myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a >> real honor.
>> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I >> pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
Mark, That is tragic news...'Especially in light of you demonstrating one of his guitars in your guitar and pickup comparison youtube entries. I also met him years ago at one of the Classic American Guitar shows, and found him to be a fine gentleman who built fine guitars. 'All my best to his family and friends. Mitch Seidman
> I have the most awful news this morning my friend Bill Hollenbeck died > very unexpectedly. I am in shock I did get to spend yesterday at the > hospital with his wife Sandy and two children. To make a long story > short he was doing great and in excellent health even repaired a guitar > week and working away. He a blood disordered that came on in the last > month that turned out to be aggressive Leukemia he was not in pain and > really only had 3 bad days before he died. It was in a matter on two day > s that he and his family learned this so he really went fast.
> Bill never smoked, did not drink was was one of the most physically > active person I know at any age. He was 74 for years young and I have > known him about 28 years. I have lost my friend he was a generous man > and wonderful husband and father, and really almost a father figure for > myself. Sandy has ask me to play at his funeral and I consider it a > real honor.
> BTW, as an aside he made the finest sounding carved top jazz guitars. I > pretty certain he is in a better place even though I miss him already.
My condolensces, Mark. Sounds like he lived a long and productive life. -- Tom Walls the guy at the Temple of Zeus
I've very very saddened to hear this news. I didn't know Bill nearly as well as the original poster Mark, but I did know him a little bit - the several times when he did some some repair work for me, most recently last summer and fall. He was very meticulous in his art and also very generous, never charging me very much for his time and expertise. He warmly invited me into his workshop and his home, to see and play his instruments and listen to music. I've played several of his guitars and they were all excellent. His instrument was the Archtop and he was an encyclopedia of information, but didn't seem really too keen on promoting himself - I know he went around to some guitar shows, but he seemed content just to build his instruments without a lot of publicity. He knew A LOT and would also share a lot of his knowledge when you spoke to him. But in speaking to him, I sensed there was so much more knowledge about the intricate workings of the guitar than what he could convey in a casual conversation. It was a great anomaly that someone so knowledgeable lived so close to me, without any other luthiers even remotely close by. I only regret I didn't get to know Bill better. Rest in peace.
