Bill Deutsch

To quote Duke Ellington…Music is my Mistress!

Bill has been involved in many aspects of the music industry from being an amateur musician (drums) to concert promotion and production. Growing up in Illinois, Bill was fortunate that the blues from Chicago beaconed him. While in college, Bill served as concert chair and promoted many blues acts including a monumental blues concert featuring BB King, , , and Bukka White. Other artist produced included Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells, Fury Lewis, Sam Lay Blues Band and other popular artist of time. After college Bill produced the National Campus Activities Association annual convention and artist showcases. This organization was the conduit for colleges and universities across the US to book talent for their campus. In 1979, Bill relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to work for Sound Seventy Productions, a premier concert promoter throughout the Southeast, as well as the management company for such artist as Charlie Daniels, Wet Willie, Dickey Betts, Dobie Gray and Henry Paul. Bill was active in producing these concerts of all nature, but the blues still stayed close. As a benefit for a music school in Nashville, Bill put together another blues spectacular with BB King, and at the venerable Grand Ole Opry House. In 1992, Bill moved to Orlando to manage a meeting and convention production company, supply exhibit and audio visual production support for meeting and conventions and has been involved in some of the more significant meetings in Florida including the PGA Merchandise Show, NATO Parliamentary Summit and the Visit Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Bill still donates his time to producing events. He has served as the production manager for the past three years at the Orlando Fringe Festival for Beth Mckee’s La La event. Bill is passionate about music and particularly live music and keepin’ the blues alive!

Gary Mayo

Gary is a lifelong Blues fan who grew up in the Detroit area, was a young adult during Motown’s heyday, and moved to Chicago in 1996. Music has always been an important part of his life. He and his wife Becky moved to Central Florida in April, and immediately joined OBBS. While in Chicago, he was an active member of the Windy City Blues Society, and regularly volunteered at the Festival. He is also a long-time Blues Foundation member, and an early supporter of the Raise the Roof! Capital campaign to build the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame Museum in Memphis. Gary & Becky attended the BMA’s in Memphis last year, and have enjoyed five Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruises together. He would very much like to do his part to “keep the Blues alive” in Central Florida

Norma Jean Simonsen

My qualifications include strong verbal and written communication skills, team player, proof reading, computer literate, motivated, quick learner; experienced in professional office settings for over 40 years. Throughout my work experience, I have taken what I have learned to the next level and applied them to any new position. This has allowed me to move up and take on new and exciting opportunities, including group event coordinating, marketing and community liaison. I have also served on Boards for several community and national organizations, as Founding member and President. Since I moved to Florida 9 years ago, I have worked full-time as an insurance/financial coordinator in a small group orthopaedic practice in Leesburg FL. Although, the title implies one thing, I wear many different hats throughout the practice, including marketing, coordinating community events for our physicians and creating employee events.

I would truly appreciate consideration for the nomination to serve for the OBBS Board of Directors.