Unlike many of the famous jazz musicians that Bill employed in his band, he did not seek fame; he was content with the great success of his nightclub.

[7][8] Bill learned jazz music first by studying it from age nine[9] to 18 then by traveling extensively with various bands for 16 years until joining the Navy in 1942.

On weekend nights he followed Johnny Dodds at Kelly's Stables and Jimmy Noone at the El Rado Cafe (231 E. 55th Street in the Garfield Hotel) on the south side.

Miles got Bill into the college concert band, Louis Schwab and his Illini Orioles under bandmaster Austin Harding.

Fred Dexter, a music scout and musician at the Wisconsin Roof Gardens club, heard Bill play and hired him for his band.

[12] Fred Dexter's band went on the road to Wisconsin, Illinois, and then Buffalo, New York, to play a Christmas season at a ballroom.

Bill Reinhardt was "flabbergasted" upon seeing the inside of his first nightclub: The Everglades with show girls, at 48th and Broadway streets in New York City early in 1928.

Cass Hagan bought the band from Fred Dexter and Bill toured with them on college dates which included the Pelham Heath Inn in New York; it was run by the mob.

[13] Upon returning to Chicago, he worked for Sol Wagner at The Frolics (18 East 22nd Street) from the spring of 1929 until the stock market crashed in the fall.

About this time Bill did a recording in an old Brunswick studio on South Wabash Avenue with Wingy Manone on trumpet, Jack Gardner on piano and Floyd Hinkley on saxophone.

[13][19] While in New Rochelle in 1939, Bill collaborated with the owners of The Ship Ahoy and assembled a small jazz band that people enjoyed.

[13][19] One day a photographer, Emery Clarke, stopped in and asked to take a few pictures of Bill playing different instruments for the Saturday Evening Post.

In 1930 Sally encouraged Bill to travel to New York when he had already considered training under renowned sax teacher, Merle Johnston, who was based there.

In the early 1940s Bill played with Frank Orchard, Bobby Hackett, Max Kaminsky, Wingy Manone and Joe Marsala.

[26] Bill met his future wife, Ruth Sato, at the Forbidden City oriental nightclub on 58th Street in New York when they both were performing there.

[28] For the next 20 months Bill and Ruth planned and organized Jazz, Ltd., a nightclub at 11 East Grand Avenue in Chicago to play solely Dixieland music.

[29] It was well known for featuring some of the best jazz musicians in the country: Sidney Bechet, Edmond Hall, George Brunies, Muggsy Spanier, Baby Dodds, Jack Teagarden, Art Hodes, Barrett Deems, and Les Beigel.

[37] In the 1930s his favorite job was working at Club 18 where he liked listening to Jackie Gleason, Jack White, Frankie Hyers, and Joe Frisco.

Many bandleaders were unable to convince Doc Evans to move from his home in Minneapolis to join their band but Bill was the only one who succeeded.

Bill said nonchalantly, "I began having problems with my ticker...drastic for some people but not for me," in reference to having angioplasty for an obstructed artery and a pacemaker for arrhythmia (when he was age 79).

He got sick and gave the Jazz, Ltd. band over to long time bandmember, Jim Beebe, who continued at the Blackstone Hotel for three more years.

Bill played the Solana Beach Friday cocktail session one day a week and then quit after a disagreement on salary.

In 1981 bassist Bob Finch recruited Bill to help start a new jazz band at the Belly-Up Tavern in Solana Beach.

[14] When his wife, Ruth, died in 1992, Bill sold the rights to the Jazz, Ltd masters to Delmark Records, run by Bob Koester, an old friend in Chicago.