William Caudill

CAUDILL, William Ervin age 63 of Fairborn, OH was born March 10, 1948 in Ermine, Kentucky to Roman "Pete" Caudill and Ethel (Sturgill) Caudill and died July 03, 2011.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and is survived by his brother, Jimmy Caudill (wife, Sarah) and their daughter, Kimberly Caudill and granddaughter, Emily; sister, Jenny Dillon (husband, Terrence) and their two daughters, Katrina Dillon and Kehlen Bushatz (husband, Zachary). As part of close extended family, he will be missed by his many cousins, aunts, and uncle: notably Effie Milliron Caudill and her sons, Ercell Sturgill and family, Carrie Decker and Billy Jean Self. Bill had a number of close friends, including his former bandmates, that regarded him as a brother, and their sense of loss is sure to be immense. Bill also held a special place in his heart for Miss Susie Weiss and appreciated her companionship and comfort in his final years.

Bill grew up in Fairborn, and graduated from Fairborn High School in 1966. Following in a rich family music tradition that included the likes of Doc Boggs and the Singing Cooke Family, he developed a mastery of passion for playing the guitar. Although he started playing the guitar several years after his father and younger brother, his rapid development as a guitar player totally overshadowed all others in the local area and revealed that he truly had a special gift for entertainment as a "Guitar Player".

During his teenage years, his band:"B.C. and the Cavemen" was arguably one of the best known in the area. They played hundreds of engagements for musical events sponsored by local radio stations such as WING and WONE , and played for many local high school dances.

During the 70's, Bill had several different bands and spent many years touring the southern states before returning to the Dayton area. In his later years, he used his finely tuned ear to enter the sound reinforcement business, and in that capacity could be found behind the mixing consoles when many featured artist made appearances at local venues such as Gilly's, Victoria Theatre, Cityfolk, and the Canal Street Tavern. Bill was willing to share his knowledge and ability by giving guitar lessons at the local Fairborn music store: The Band Box, and by training many in the technical craft and subtle art of sound reinforcement.

He inspired many of his former students to pursue a career in the musical arts and his sound protégés can be found in recording studios and touring with various entertainers. After spending much of his life before the public, the family will respect his request for privacy by holding no public services.

His interment will be at the family cemetery, near the place of his birth, in Ermine, Ky.