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Bill Rice
Bill Rice
Bill Rice
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Key Information

Wilburn Steven "Bill" Rice (April 19, 1939 – October 28, 2023) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Rice charted six singles between 1971 and 1978, including the Top 40 hit "Travelin' Minstrel Man", but is better known for his songwriting. Rice has written songs for artists such as Johnny Paycheck, Reba McEntire, Lynn Anderson, Charley Pride, and Jerry Lee Lewis. He has more awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers than any other songwriter. Rice had also been nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Biography

[edit]

Wilburn Steven Rice was born on April 19, 1939. He learned to play guitar at age fourteen and was signed to his first recording contract at age 18. In 1960, he had his first cut as a songwriter when Elvis Presley recorded "Girl Next Door Went A-Walking".[2]

Rice met songwriter Jerry Foster while on tour and began collaborating with him. The two wrote songs together and were signed to a songwriting contract through the assistance of "Cowboy" Jack Clement. Some of the earliest songs they wrote were "Big Big City" and "Quarter Mile Rows", which were both recorded by singer-pianist Moon Mullican. Their writing partnership has been hugely successful with many dozens of charting hits from the late 1960s to early 1980s. Two of his cuts received Grammy Award nominations: "Back Side of Dallas" by Jeannie C. Riley and "Here Comes the Hurt Again" by Mickey Gilley. He had also received 73 awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the most received by any songwriter.[2] In 1974, Rice had eleven cuts on the country music charts at the same time.[2]

Rice charted six singles as a recording artist in the 1970s; five singles charted as a solo artist in 1971–1972, and one charted as a duet with then-labelmate Lois Johnson titled "All the Love We Threw Away"[1] in 1977. His first Capitol release, "Travelin' Minstrel Man", peaked at number 33 on Hot Country Songs in 1971.[1]

In the 1980s to mid-1990s, Rice also had a very successful songwriting partnership with his then-wife, Sharon Vaughn (under her married name Sharon Rice or Mary S. Rice).[2]

Among the songs that Rice has written include "Someone to Give My Love To" by Johnny Paycheck, "Lonely Too Long" by Patty Loveless, "I'll Think of Something" by Hank Williams, Jr. (later covered by Mark Chesnutt), "I'm Not That Lonely Yet" by Reba McEntire, "Would You Take Another Chance on Me" by Jerry Lee Lewis, and "Wonder Could I Live There Anymore" by Charley Pride.[2]

Rice lived in Florida.[2] He died in Merritt Island on October 28, 2023, at the age of 84.[3]

Discography

[edit]
Year Single Chart Positions
US Country[1]
1971 "Travelin' Minstrel Man" 33
"Honky-Tonk Stardust Cowboy" 51
1972 "A Girl Like Her Is Hard to Find" 74
"Something to Call Mine" 63
1977 "All the Love We Threw Away" (with Lois Johnson) 97
1978 "Beggars and Choosers" 100
1985 "'Til a Tear Becomes a Rose" 35

References

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Bill Rice

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''Bill Rice'' is an American actor and artist known for his prominent role in the avant-garde art and underground film scenes of New York City's East Village, as well as his expressionistic figurative paintings and occasional performances in independent cinema. Born William Rice on October 17, 1931, in Vermont, he relocated to Manhattan where he became a key figure in the downtown artistic community, initially working in abstract styles before shifting to expressive figurative works exhibited regularly from the 1980s onward. He also acted in experimental films, including notable appearances in Jim Jarmusch's ''Coffee and Cigarettes'' (2003) and other underground productions. Described as an actor, artist, and impresario, Rice contributed to the vibrant cultural milieu of the East Village for decades until his death from lung cancer on January 23, 2006, in New York City at age 74. His legacy endures through his paintings depicting urban figures and interiors, as well as his influence on the intersection of visual art and independent filmmaking in New York.

Early life

William "Bill" Rice was born on October 17, 1931, in Castleton, Vermont. He studied painting at Middlebury College in Vermont, where he was a student of Arthur Healy, whose emphasis on observing immediate surroundings influenced Rice's later work. After graduating, Rice relocated to Manhattan in 1953, settling initially on Third Avenue before becoming a fixture in Greenwich Village and later the East Village artistic community. Limited public information is available on his family background or childhood. Bill Rice, the American actor and artist (1931–2006), had no documented career in music, songwriting, or recording. Reliable sources describe his work exclusively in visual arts, avant-garde film acting, and the East Village cultural scene, with no references to music partnerships, hits, or Nashville activities.) (Note: Content previously in this section pertains to a different individual, country songwriter Wilburn Steven "Bill" Rice (1939–2023).)

Acting career

Bill Rice had occasional roles in independent and experimental cinema, primarily connected to New York City's underground art and film scenes. His most notable film appearance was in Jim Jarmusch's ''Coffee and Cigarettes'' (2003). He also performed in other underground productions associated with the East Village avant-garde community. Acting remained secondary to his primary work as a visual artist and impresario. No extensive mainstream film or television credits are documented for Rice.

Personal life

Bill Rice resided in New York City's East Village for over 40 years, living in a ground-floor apartment at 13 East 3rd Street. No further details about his family or personal relationships are documented in reliable sources.

Death

Bill Rice died of lung cancer on January 23, 2006, in Manhattan, New York City, at the age of 74. No further public details on circumstances or tributes are widely documented in reliable sources.

Legacy

Bill Rice's legacy endures through his expressionistic figurative paintings, which often depicted urban figures and interiors in the East Village milieu, and his contributions to the intersection of visual art and independent filmmaking in New York City. His work and presence in the downtown artistic community influenced the avant-garde and underground scenes for decades.
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