Bill Root was a guitarist with Bobby Hebb when they were both in the navy. They performed as the Pine Island Pirates for Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Madame Chiang
Bobby Hebb sings in "Proud Soul Heritage" that his mom and dad taught him guitar, but it was Bill Root who helped Bobby play rock guitar. Here's our interview on Visual Radio with Bill Root from August 16, 2012
Visual Radio with Bill Root
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEpRjRH2ISQ
Here's an e mail from Bill's wife:
July 23, 5:24 PM Eastern Time
Hello friends and family,
It is with happy yet sad heart that we can celebrate knowing that Bill is
in glory with our eternal Father. He died peacefully at 18:30 last evening
(22July). He was so very ready to leave this world and his earthly body
with the pain he has bravely endured over the last 7 1/2 months. We were
priviledged to share the past 6 weeks with me at home, between employment.
Next week Monday I begin my new venture at the Veterans Administration.
Bill knew it was time to go because we talked about what would happen with me
going back to work and him needing private duty care in the home, which he
really wasn't looking forward to having strangers caring for him.
Join me in praising the Lord for a wonderful man, his life, and his legacy
that I was able to share the past 14 years. He truly was a remarkable
man!!
Let us Celebrate a Painter and Musician passing through
William
E. Root
12.28.1934
to 7.22.2014
love to all,
Betty Kloosterman Root
____________________________________
Bill Root and Bobby Hebb performed for
Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Madame Chiang (Soong May-ling)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek
Chinese political and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China between 1928 and 1975. He is known as Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Chieh-shih, 蔣介石) or Jiang Zhongzheng (Chiang Chung-cheng, 蔣中正) in Standard Chinese
With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the opening of the Pacific War, China became one of the Allied Powers. During and after World War II, Chiang and his American-educated wife Soong May-ling, known in the United States as "Madame Chiang", held the support of the United States' China Lobby, which saw in them the hope of a Christian and democratic China.
Madame Chiang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soong_May-ling
ALSO
RIP LENNY FROM LENNY'S ON THE TURNPIKE STORY TO FOLLOW
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lennies-on-the-Turnpike/244799362231117
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