Caples, Billy (William T.), 1928-1986
Dates
- Existence: 1928 - 1986-07-09
Biographical note
William T. "Billy" Caples was a musician and teacher of Irish music, who played with several Boston-area bands, suh as Johnny Powell's Orchestra, as well as his own, the Billy Caples Orchestra. He was a cofounder of two Irish music societies in Boston, Ceol traidisiúnta na hÉireann and a branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Hanafin-Cooley branch (later renamed the Reynolds-Hanafin-Cooley branch). As a teacher, he instructed many players of traditional Irish accordion music in the Boston area. Caples studied at the Berklee College of Music, served with the US Army on Guam during World War II, and worked for 32 years at the Steele Canvas Basket Co. Inc. in Cambridge, MA. Caples died on July 9, 1986.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Richard Toomey Irish music collection
Collection documents the life and career of Boston-area musician and artist Richard "Skip" Toomey through annotated musical manuscripts, drawings, and a watercolor.
Collection is open for research.