During the early 70’s in Ireland, the West Cork haven of Clonakilty had not only become a refuge for sanctuary seeking rock stars, but the place of birth for Bill Shanley - guitarist, record producer, and all round multi-instrumentalist. Brought up in the renowned Shanley's Music Bar, Bill’s early years were spent immersed in the lives of pro musicians, performing on regular occasions with Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell and Eric Bell.

Bill’s father, Moss Shanley, was a piano player and Noel Redding, of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, had become not only a good friend but took Bill on as both his teacher and mentor. From his first guitar lessons with Noel at the age of nine in 1981, through hundreds of bar sessions, the relationship culminated in a trip to Paris in 1990. Noel, together with Bill on guitar and Randy California, put a band together for the 20th Anniversary of Hendrix’s death in the famous Olympic Theatre in Paris. This was the theatre, where in 1966, the Hendrix Experience played their very first show. Aged 18, Bill moved to Dublin and immediately started working both live and in the studio as a highly sought after musician. From his first full time position with Eleanor McEvoy, during the heady days of ‘A Woman’s Heart’. Bill went on to become a key member of Mary Black’s band, both as guitarist and musical director.

Bill also managed to find time to work with a range of other artists from Emmylou Harris to Van Morrison, and Samantha Mumba to Westlife, with plenty of Sunday afternoon jazz sessions on the side. Production always held the greatest interest for Bill, and from an initial start with ‘Wolfhound Studios’ on the Clontarf Road in Dublin 1996 - where Bill honed his skills into the small hours of the morning - came the colossal stride forward into ‘The Cauldron Studios’ in Dublin’s City centre. Teaming up with Ex-Windmill Lane sound engineer Ciaran Byrne in 1999, The Cauldron was built and designed, from the ground up, to provide the perfect recording atmosphere with all the right tools, in the right places. Now Bill returns once more to Clonakilty to aid and help establish the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival.

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