Tiger of the Week: Bill Webster '73

Published in the May 16, 2012, Issue

Bill Webster '73 (Photo: Courtesy Bill Webster)

Bill Webster ’73 has done his best to turn “getting the band back together” into a Princeton Reunions tradition. In 2008, the trombonist worked with the Alumni Council to create the Battle of the Alumni Bands, a free concert held on the Friday afternoon of Reunions. On June 1, the event will mark its fifth anniversary, hosting a lineup of musicians whose class years span four decades.

“The concept for Battle of the Alumni Bands is [for each group] to do a 20-minute set — about six songs — so it’s pretty easy to get it together and play in front of your classmates,” Webster told PAW’s Fran Hulette. “You forget what a rush it is playing for people.”

Webster’s inspiration came from personal experience. As an undergraduate — and in the decade following graduation — his band, Webster’s Unabridged, played its blend of Big Band and rock music for alumni audiences at Reunions. Webster continued to reassemble his bandmates at major reunions, a tradition that provided some memorable highlights. Through the Battle, Webster has helped other alumni bands create their own memories on stage.

Read more about the Battle of the Alumni Bands in PAW’s 2012 Reunions Guide, available on campus in late May.

Video: Sounds of Reunions

Chris Hipser ’11’s overview of musical gatherings includes footage from the 2011 Battle of the Alumni Bands.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUpedi4zrVc&version=3&hl=en_US]

Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. All alumni qualify. PAW’s Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.