Bill Ruppert

Ruppert was born in Chicago, Illinois to Frances and Clyde Ruppert. Clyde Ruppert was a saxophonist who played in the Glenn Miller division of the Air Force Band during WWII and later touring the world with Guy Lombardo Orchestra and other popular big bands. Ruppert’s grandfather played drums with a young Benny Goodman during Goodman’s early years in Chicago.

Growing up in a musical family, Ruppert focused his goals in that direction. After graduating from college, Bill taught guitar/music to grammar school and college students. By 1986, he was the first-call guitarist in the Chicago commercial studio scene.

Ruppert won a Clio Award in 1989 for his advertising music production role in the Durasoft Color Contacts commercial "Parachute" for Young & Rubicam, Chicago.

In 2009, Ruppert began creating a video series called Effectology, in which he recreated extraordinary sounds with a regular electric guitar and Electro-Harmonix gear. Topics ranging from inventing Halloween sounds to re-creating Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn' to generating Caribbean steel drum effects are covered.

Ruppert is currently working with the design team at Electro-Harmonix creating new effects for electric guitar.

Ruppert played on hundreds of commercially released recordings and soundtracks. These lists represent only a small fraction of his recorded performances.

Album credits on guitar

• Made in California (The Beach Boys, 2013)
• Black Robes and Lawyers (William Michael Dillon, 2011)
• Johnny Boy Would Love This: A Tribute to John Martyn (Various Artists, 2011)
• If Only... (Howard Hewett, 2007)
• Squur Dance (B-Cow, 2007)
• Hurricane Season (Shanna Zell, 2005)
• Have a Little Faith (Mavis Staples, 2004)
• Rough Grooves Surface (Tree Thirteen, 2004)
• Change Is Good (Lonie Walker, 2002)
• Couldn't Love You No More/No Little Boy (John Martyn, 2000)
• Times Like These (Rick Danko, 2000)
• Stars and Stripes, Vol. 1 (The Beach Boys, 1996)
• No Big Surprise: Anthology (Steve Goodman, 1994)
• No Little Boy (John Martyn, 1993)
• Boomchild (Dennis DeYoung, 1988)
• Keys to the City (Ramsey Lewis, 1987)
• Simple Things (Richie Havens, 1987)
• Unfinished Business (Steve Goodman, 1987)
• Bête Noire (Bryan Ferry, 1987)
• Save Tonight for Me (Chuck Mangione, 1986)
• Robin Angel (Robin Angel, 1986)
• You Love Looks Good on Me (Gene Chandler, 1985)
• Marbles (Software, 1981)

Ruppert played on thousands of television and radio commercials. These lists represent only a small fraction of his recorded performances. The full list of credits is on record with the Chicago Federation of Musicians.

Ruppert married Joan Tortorici, television writer/producer, in 1977.