Bill was proud to say that he had been a musician for 57 years, singing his songs and delighting audiences at colleges, clubs, and coffeehouses. He wrote and recorded too many songs to count and gained an international reputation as a gifted songwriter and performer. He wrote his autobiography, 'The Tour', which detailed his life on the road. His song, "A Place in the Choir", is a popular children's book, and has touched the hearts of millions; his several songbooks allowed others to play and sing, too.

Bill's music is a slice of Americana, reflecting his feelings about the prairie people of the Midwest, the adventurers of the Yukon, the on-the-road truckers, or the everyday workers that make up this land. Bill has been described as a modern-day Stephen Foster. His songs, which have been recorded by many artists, will still be around 100 years from now.

In 2015, Yankee Magazine published an edition which included Bill as one of the 80 gifts New England has given to America. This was a true honor for the veteran folksinger.