Bill at the piano in the early years
In Memory of Bill Coffman
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Bill at the piano in the early years |
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Striking a cord: Bill Coffman mans the Wurlitzer at the
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Randy Watters of Free Minds, Inc. was contacted by Bill Coffman in 1999 and asked to meet him. Randy had just gotten his new digital video camera, and since Bill played an old pipe organ in an active music hall in El Segundo, Calif., Randy decided to interview him. Although Randy is a Christian and Bill is a freethinker, they still had a lot in common, they both left the Watchtower (Jehovah's Witnesses)! The following 13-minute interview on RealPlayer was the result. Bill passed on Dec. 7, 2001 (at 75 years old) and practically half the town of El Segundo came to his memorial at the Old Town Music Hall. It was quite a sight!
Bill was practically born into the Watchtower, as his family was involved in the days of Charles Taze Russell, and most of his family was involved as well. Back then they were known as the International Bible Students. In the interview Bill said he had a horrible time at school (in the 30s and early 40s) as a Jehovah's Witness, because of not saluting the flag and neutrality issues. Bill admits to being raped by a traveling Watch Tower circuit overseer in his early years, sad to say. He was no fan of that religion, or its arrogant leaders. Randy left the grisly details out of the interview.
Bill graduated in 1944. He used to go door-to-door with a wind-up phonograph playing "Judge" Rutherford's lectures, "Children" and "Face the Facts" in his native Arkansas. He moved to California in 1951 and opened his eyes to the non-truth of the Watchtower by reading books such as "Thirty Years a Watchtower Slave." He continued to pursue music and he and a partner installed the mighty Wurlitzer organ in the El Segundo hall in 1968. The following interview is on streaming Real Player (free download) and we hope you enjoy it!
Other Old Town/Coffman Links:
Memories of Bill Coffman, Co-Owner of The Old Town Music Hall
Passing of Bill Coffman, El Segundo CA
Silent Era Information and News
Theatre Owners bring back Silent Films