From his youth, until the end of his long life, he was very active and influential in traditional music circles, on both sides of the Border.
The musical tradition continued in the family - Will's son George, who died before him, was widely respected as a player of the Northumbrian smallpipes.
This group made some broadcasts for the BBC, including one from Alnwick in 1942 - a press cutting relating to this is at Woodhorn Museum website, where he is shown with a melodeon.
In the 1950s, Atkinson played with other musicians near Alnwick forming The Cheviot Ranters, a noted dance band in northern Northumberland, but left the group some time later.
In 1974 he was one of the artists recorded by Topic, playing mouth organ, on Bonny North Tyne - Northumbrian Country Music.