Audio Pioneers

Editor’s Note: While not exactly a household name, Bill Hanley (seen here in a recent photo) made an indelible impact on the development and advancement of modern live sound systems. He’s often referred to as the “Father of Festival Sound,” and there has been growing interest to encourage the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation to induct Mr. Hanley. Longtime readers of FRONT of HOUSE may recall a decade ago, when he was selected for the 2006 Audio Innovator Award at the Parnelli Awards. Hanley is certainly deserving of that, but we also felt this would be an appropriate time to not only revisit his historic career, but also allow researcher John Kane a platform to expand his efforts to further honor the work of Bill Hanley. —George Petersen