William Hinsche (June 29, 1951 – November 20, 2021) was an American musician who was a co-founding member of the singing trio
Dino, Desi & Billy
Dino, Desi & Billy were an American singing trio that existed between 1964 and 1969. The group featured Dean "Dino" Martin ( Dean Paul Martin, the son of singer and actor Dean Martin), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Desiderio Arnaz IV, the son of television st ...
and a keyboardist for
the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
' backing band.
Background
Hinsche was born in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, the Philippines, the son of Celia Bautista and Otto "Doc" Hinsche, who owned a local casino. His father was from New Jersey and his mother was a Filipina. The family moved to the United States and settled in
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
. Hinsche attended
Loyola High School, where he met
Desi Arnaz, Jr.
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV (born January 19, 1953), known professionally as Desi Arnaz Jr., is an American actor and musician. He is the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Early life
Arnaz was born on January 19, 1953, at Cedars-Sinai Medical ...
and
Dean Paul Martin
Dean Paul Martin Jr. (born Dino Paul Crocetti Jr., November 17, 1951 – March 21, 1987) was an American pop singer and film and television actor. A member of the California Air National Guard, Martin died in a crash during a military training f ...
. The three later formed the group
Dino, Desi & Billy
Dino, Desi & Billy were an American singing trio that existed between 1964 and 1969. The group featured Dean "Dino" Martin ( Dean Paul Martin, the son of singer and actor Dean Martin), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Desiderio Arnaz IV, the son of television st ...
and signed with
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
's record label
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels.
Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...
.
In the late 1960s, Hinsche began to work as a session musician for
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
. Although he declined at least one offer to formally join the group in favor of continuing his education in August 1969, he toured extensively with the band as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (often playing keyboards and
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
) from 1971 to 1977 and 1982 to 1996. His sister, Annie Hinsche-Wilson-Karges, was married to the group's guitarist,
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...
.
He earned a
B.F.A. from the
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
School of Theater, Film and Television in 1974.
Billy Hinsche provided backing vocals on recordings for
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
's "
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song written by English musician Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded by John for his eighth studio album, '' Caribou'' (1974), and was released as a single that peaked a ...
,"
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon (; January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician.
Zevon's most famous compositions include "Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money", and " Roland the Headless Tho ...
's "Desperados Under The Eaves," America's "Hat Trick,"
Joan Jett
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
's "Good Music" and others.
Hinsche died after a short battle with
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...
on November 20, 2021. His mother, Celia Hinsche, also died on the same day.
Discography
Singles with Dino, Desi & Billy
*Since You Broke My Heart / We Know—Reprise 0324—released 11-2-64
*I'm A Fool / So Many Ways—Reprise 0367–4-12-65
*I'm A Fool / So Many Ways /Since You Broke My Heart / We Know—Reprise 60072 ep (France) -- 4-12-65
*Not The Lovin' Kind / Chimes Of Freedom—Reprise 0401–8-18-65
*Please Don't Fight It / The Rebel Kind—Reprise 0426–11-10-65
*Superman / I Can't Get Her Off My Mind—Reprise 0444–1-19-66
*Tie Me Down / It's Just The Way You Are—Reprise 0462–3-23-66
*Look Out Girls (Here We Come) / She's So Far Out She's In—Reprise 0469–5-20-66
*I Hope She's There Tonight / Josephine—Reprise 0529–10-12-66
*If You're Thinkin' What I'm Thinkin' / Pretty Flamingo—Reprise 0544–12-13-66
*Two in the Afternoon / Good Luck, Best Wishes to You—Reprise 0579–4-19-67
*Kitty Doyle / Without Hurtin' Some—Reprise 0619–8-2-67
*My What a Shame / The Inside Outside Caspar Milquetoast Eskimo Flash—Reprise 0653
*Tell Someone You Love Them / General Outline—Reprise 0698–5-29-68
*Thru Spray Colored Glasses / Someday—Uni 55127
*Hawley / Let's Talk it Over—Columbia 4-44975–1969
*Lady Love / A Certain Sound—Reprise 0965–10-14-70
*Under A Beach Boy Moon -- (Digital Release Only) -- RD&B Records LLC—5-4-12
Albums with Dino, Desi & Billy
*''I'm a Fool'' --
Reprise
In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any repea ...
R (Mono)/RS (Stereo) 6176—U.S. #51, 9/65
*''Our Time's Coming''—Reprise R/RS 6194—U.S. #119, 2/66
*''Memories Are Made of This''—Reprise R/RS 6198–1966
*''Souvenir''—Reprise R/RS 6224–1966
*''Follow Me (1969 film)'' Original Soundtrack --
Uni
Uni or UNI may refer to:
Entertainment
*Uni Records, a division of MCA, formally called Universal City Records
*"U.N.I.", a song by Ed Sheeran from ''+'' (''Plus'')
*Uni, a species in the Neopets Trading Card Game
*Uni, a character in the anim ...
ST73056–1969
*''The Rebel Kind: The Best of Dino, Desi & Billy'' --
Sundazed
Sundazed Music is an American independent record label based in Coxsackie, New York. It specializes in obscure and rare recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 2000, Sundazed had a staff of 15 and two mixing studios, including a vintage audio ...
, 1996
Albums with Ricci, Desi & Billy
*''Live In Vegas''—RD&B Records, LLC—2001
*''Live From Boulder City''—RD&B Records, LLC—2002
Albums with The Beach Boys
* ''
Beach Boys' Party!
''Beach Boys' Party!'' is the tenth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, and their third in 1965, consisting mostly of cover songs played with acoustic instruments. It reached No. 6 in the US and No. 3 in the UK. The album spawned on ...
'' (1965)
* ''
Smiley Smile
''Smiley Smile'' is the 12th studio album by American Rock music, rock band the Beach Boys, released on September 18, 1967. It reached number 9 on UK record charts, but sold poorly in the US, peaking at number 41—the band's lowest chart place ...
'' (1967)
* ''
Carl and the Passions – "So Tough"
''Carl and the Passions – "So Tough"'' is the 18th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released May 15, 1972 on Brother/Reprise. The album is a significant musical departure for the band and is the first to feature the Fl ...
'' (1972)
* ''
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
'' (1973)
* ''
In Concert'' (1973)
* ''
15 Big Ones'' (1976)
* ''
Love You'' (1977)
* ''
M.I.U. Album
''M.I.U. Album'' is the 22nd studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on September 25, 1978. Characterized for its easy-listening sound, the album was produced by Al Jardine and touring member Ron Altbach during one of the mos ...
'' (1978)
* ''
L.A. (Light Album)
''L.A. (Light Album)'' is the 23rd studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on March 16, 1979, and their first issued through CBS Records. Recorded during a period of acrimony between the band members, it was a critical an ...
'' (1979)
* ''
Songs from Here & Back
''Songs from Here & Back'' is a 2006 live album by The Beach Boys released through Hallmark Gold Crown Stores and only available for two months. The album contains nine never-before-released live recordings, as well as three solo studio recordi ...
'' (2006)
Albums with Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys
* ''
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Youngblood'' (1983)
Films
* Murderer's Row (1966)
* Play Songs of the Beach Boys: Piano Accompaniments to Rock Classics - MFM Productions
HS* Dennis Wilson Forever - Sony/Bmg Int'l -
VD2008
* 1974 - On The Road With The Beach Boys - MFM Productions -
VD2009
* Carl Wilson - Here and Now - MFM Productions -
VD2011
* 24 HOURS - MFM Productions -
VD2011
* Know the Road (Redux) - MFM Productions -
VD2012
* Home Movies - MFM Productions -
VD2012
* Dean Martin: King of Cool - Appian Way/Danny Strong Productions - TCM 2021
References
External links
*
Billy Hinscheat MySpace
*
*
*
Billy Hinscheat
Find a Grave
Find a Grave is a website that allows the public to search and add to an online database of cemetery records. It is owned by Ancestry.com. Its stated mission is "to help people from all over the world work together to find, record and present fin ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinsche, William
1951 births
2021 deaths
American musicians of Filipino descent
American pop guitarists
American pop rock musicians
American pop rock singers
American television composers
Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Filipino emigrants to the United States
UCLA Film School alumni
People from Manila
The Beach Boys backing band members
American male guitarists
20th-century American guitarists
20th-century American male singers
20th-century American singers