Before moving to California in 1959, he spent his young adulthood in the Northern Plains, performing with and writing for territory bands booked out of Omaha, Nebraska.
The band included Rich Henry (alto), Hamilton Allen (piano), and Mike Balish (drums).
[1] He entered the Army at Camp Barkley, Texas, near Abilene, where after basic training he enrolled in cooks-and-baker school.
While working for a company kitchen, he began playing saxophone and trumpet with the local Medical Replacement Training Center Band.
On the recommendation of a warrant officer who led an Army band at Camp Reynolds, Pennsylvania, a general changed Fischer's transfer overseas and sent him instead to Camp Lee, Virginia, home of the band training unit for the Armed Forces.
Fischer spent six months at Fort Lee where instructors such as Gil Evans[3] and Sanford ("Sandy") J. Siegelstein were assigned.
Bill, Fischer studied trumpet with Daniel Benner Tetzlaff and orchestration with William Muelbe.
Early in his career, Fischer played trumpet and valve trombone in several territory bands,[3] all booked out of Omaha by the National Orchestra Service, including the Teddy Philips band, Little John Beecher Orchestra, Joe Vera Latin Ensemble, Walter Martie, John Paul Jones, and Lee Williams.
After transferring credits earned on the GI bill from a college in Minnesota, Fischer earned credits from Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Northridge to complete a California Teaching Credential.
[7] Finding qualified teachers, those at the pinnacle of their field, meant having to draw from the jazz profession rather than academia.
At the suggestion of his wife, Fischer visited the college as a way to play music and meet others with his interest.