Bill Sinegal
musician
- May 13, 1928
- April 14, 2014
- 85 years
About Bill Sinegal
Bill Sinegal, 85, American rhythm and blues musician.
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Full Biography
|Willie Norman Sinegal (or Bill Sinigal; May 13, 1928 – April 14, 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana) was an American rhythm and blues bass guitarist and songwriter from New Orleans. He is best known for his song Second Line.
Sinegal played tenor saxophone and C melody saxophone. He studied double bass at the Grunewald School of Music. He served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he worked in backup bands in New Orleans for musicians including Guitar Slim, Tommy Ridgley and Sugar Boy Crawford. In 1959, he began playing with Earl King. He toured extensively in the 1960s with Curtis Mayfield and Dee Clark.
In 1964 he released a R&B single with Bill Sinigal and the Skyliners called Second Line, Parts 1 & 2 which featured rhythms from a traditional Second line (parades) brass band song, Joe Avery's Blues. The song was recorded in the studio of Cosimo Matassa with Milton Batiste on trumpet, James Rivers on tenor saxophone, and Ellis Marsalis on piano. Second Line became a Mardi Gras standard.
In the late 1960s, he left the music business to work as a photographer.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Sinegal
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 30, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Bill Sinegal's archived record and the sources above.
1.What is the birth name of the musician commonly known as Bill Sinegal?
- A.Wayne Norbert Sinegal
- B.William Nicholas Sinegal
- C.Walter Nathan Sinegal
- D.Willie Norman Sinegalcorrect
The biography explicitly identifies his name as Willie Norman Sinegal.
Source: biography header
2.In which city was Bill Sinegal born and where did he die?
- A.Houston, Texas
- B.Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- C.Memphis, Tennessee
- D.New Orleans, Louisianacorrect
The text states that Bill Sinegal was born and died in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Source: biography header
3.At which institution did Bill Sinegal study the double bass?
- A.New Orleans Conservatory
- B.Grunewald School of Musiccorrect
- C.Cosimo Matassa School
- D.Louisiana Music Academy
Bill Sinegal studied double bass specifically at the Grunewald School of Music.
Source: education section
4.During which historical conflict did Bill Sinegal serve in the United States Army?
- A.Cold War
- B.Korean War
- C.Vietnam War
- D.World War IIcorrect
The biography notes that Bill Sinegal served in the United States Army during World War II.
Source: military service section
5.Besides bass guitar, which two instruments did Bill Sinegal play?
- A.Tenor saxophone and C melody saxophonecorrect
- B.Trumpet and piano
- C.Guitar and drums
- D.Clarinet and trombone
The biography confirms that Bill Sinegal played tenor saxophone and C melody saxophone.
Source: instrumentation section
6.Which musician did Bill Sinegal begin playing with in 1959?
- A.Curtis Mayfield
- B.Joe Avery
- C.Dee Clark
- D.Earl Kingcorrect
The text explicitly states that in 1959, Bill Sinegal began playing with Earl King.
Source: career steps section
7.In the 1960s, Bill Sinegal toured extensively with which two musicians?
- A.Milton Batiste and James Rivers
- B.Curtis Mayfield and Dee Clarkcorrect
- C.Guitar Slim and Tommy Ridgley
- D.Sugar Boy Crawford and Earl King
The text mentions that Bill Sinegal toured extensively in the 1960s with Curtis Mayfield and Dee Clark.
Source: career steps section
8.What is the title of the R&B single Bill Sinegal released in 1964?
- A.Second Linecorrect
- B.Skyliner Swing
- C.New Orleans Parade
- D.Mardi Gras Blues
The biography identifies Second Line as the R&B single Bill Sinegal released in 1964.
Source: works section
9.Which traditional brass band song provided the rhythms for Bill Sinegal's track 'Second Line'?
- A.Joe Avery's Bluescorrect
- B.Bourbon Street Parade
- C.When the Saints Go Marching In
- D.Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
The song Second Line featured rhythms from the traditional brass band song Joe Avery's Blues.
Source: works section
10.Who played piano on the 1964 recording of 'Second Line'?
- A.Cosimo Matassa
- B.Milton Batiste
- C.James Rivers
- D.Ellis Marsaliscorrect
Ellis Marsalis is explicitly named as the piano player on the recording of Second Line.
Source: works section
11.In whose studio was the 1964 single 'Second Line' recorded?
- A.Ellis Marsalis Studio
- B.New Orleans Sound Lab
- C.Cosimo Matassacorrect
- D.The Skyliners Studio
The song was recorded in the studio of Cosimo Matassa.
Source: works section
12.What is the name of the band that released 'Second Line' with Bill Sinegal?
- A.The R&B Kings
- B.The Skylinerscorrect
- C.The Mardi Gras Brass
- D.The New Orleans Trio
Bill Sinegal released the single with a band called Bill Sinigal and the Skyliners.
Source: works section
13.What professional career did Bill Sinegal pursue after leaving the music business in the late 1960s?
- A.Music teacher
- B.Army recruiter
- C.Photographercorrect
- D.Record producer
The biography states that in the late 1960s, Bill Sinegal left music to work as a photographer.
Source: career change section
14.On what date did Bill Sinegal pass away?
- A.June 20, 2010
- B.April 14, 2014correct
- C.January 1, 2014
- D.May 13, 1928
The biography lists the death date of Bill Sinegal as April 14, 2014.
Source: biography header
15.Who played trumpet on the 1964 recording of Bill Sinegal's 'Second Line'?
- A.Earl King
- B.Tommy Ridgley
- C.James Rivers
- D.Milton Batistecorrect
The biography credits Milton Batiste for playing the trumpet on the recording.
Source: works section
16.Which musicians did Bill Sinegal play with in backup bands in New Orleans after the war?
- A.Guitar Slim, Tommy Ridgley, and Sugar Boy Crawfordcorrect
- B.Milton Batiste, James Rivers, and Ellis Marsalis
- C.Curtis Mayfield, Dee Clark, and Earl King
- D.Joe Avery, Bill Sinigal, and The Skyliners
After the war, Bill Sinegal worked in backup bands for Guitar Slim, Tommy Ridgley and Sugar Boy Crawford.
Source: career steps section
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