Known as Billy throughout the music world, he was born in Norwalk Ct. in 1930. He began his musical career at age fifteen playing trombone with the Jess Stacey Band. He went on to play and write arrangements for all the big bands (among them, Charlie Spivak, Claude Thornhill, Jimmy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet and many others), of his generation, culminating his road days with his idol, Tommy Dorsey.

For the next forty years he was one of the busiest studio arrangers and conductors in New York, writing every thing from jingles, films, documentaries, record dates, as well as producing 20 CDs and hundreds of arrangements for his wife, Marlene VerPlanck. His passion for music was all consuming and was unable to write an indifferent note in his life.

Billy and Marlene were virtually inseparable for 52 years. They loved working in many countries and traveling the world together. Billy enjoyed life to the fullest, devouring great food and wine with a perfect palate, the New York Mets, quoting all the stats, his country and his fellow man, constantly touting the greatest players. He was a diehard advocate of free enterprise and tried to convert anyone who would listen to his beliefs.

J. Billy Ver Planck fought a year long battle with lung cancer and died peacefully in Hackensack Hospital on Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

http://www.marleneverplanck.com/billy.html