Bill Baird

Bill Baird is a musician, artist, and writer originally from San Antonio, Texas. His journey began with a background as an Eagle Scout, NOLS graduate, and National Merit scholar. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the Plan II program at UT Austin and his Master of Fine Arts from Mills College in Oakland, California.

In the early 2000s, Bill founded and played in Sound Team, an indie rock band that gained critical acclaim but ultimately became a cautionary tale about the major label music industry. He then went on to play in Sunset, a band that toured endlessly across the United States. During this time, he also worked as a teaching assistant and medical aide at the Texas School for the Blind.

Bill has been involved in many creative endeavors throughout his career, including starring in the film Echotone, a documentary about the Austin music scene. He was also awarded his own day in the city of Austin, and was named Best New Musician by the East Bay Express in 2012.

In addition to his music career, Bill has undertaken numerous creative tech installations with his partner Taurin Barrera, exhibiting their work at events such as Luminaria, Hopscotch, and the California Academy of Sciences.

Bill's music has been released on various record labels, including Parlophone, Capitol, and Dangerbird. He has received critical acclaim for his work, including Rough Trade Record of the Month for his album "Earth into Aether" in the UK.

Bill has also had his own show on Berkeley Public Access TV, and in 2015, he was named the Dresher Ensemble Artist-in-Residence, culminating in the creation of his second public access opera, "Mundus Novus."

In 2018, Bill released his only album produced by Super Deluxe, a short-lived media company, which resulted in his own television special. More recently, he has been writing for the SA Current newspaper and was awarded the Wittliff research grant through Texas State University.

Despite his success in music and the arts, Bill is also a TX Master Naturalist candidate, and in 2021, he even circumnavigated San Antonio on foot. He has truly led a diverse and fascinating life, always finding new avenues for creative expression.