William A McLean

William Arthur McLean,79, formerly of Melbourne, FL and recently of Matthews, NC was called from this life on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at PruittHealth-Union Pointe in Monroe, NC to make a more personal joyful noise unto the Lord. Bill was born November 10, 1937 in Webster, MA to the late Arthur Curtis McLean and Mary Eleanor Spitz McLean and was the eldest of six children. He graduated from Boonton High School in Boonton, NJ and enlisted in the US Navy in July 1956, where he served as a Radioman Class “A” on the USS THUBAN. He received an Honorable Discharge in June 1958.

Bill started teaching himself to play the chromatic harmonica at age 12 and went on to become a harmonica player extraordinaire, which he credits as a gift from God. Bill could make his harmonica sound like a pure, sweet group of violins or hot like a fiddle. Very early in Bill’s musical career his band won the Schaefer Talent Hunt in New York and they made their radio debut performing the Schaefer Beer jingle: “It’s the one beer to have when you’re having more than one.” His favorite genre was jazz and he said he felt like that’s when God takes over and plays through him; but Bill could play anything and everything in his own unmatched style with heart and soul, whether the tune was melancholy and soulful or fast and rollicking. Over the course of Bill’s 60-year worldwide musical career, he played with Alex Novelle and his Harmaniacs, The Harmonica Rascals, Johnny Puleo and The Harmonica Gang, the Original Harmonica Band, and Nuance with Hal Gordon, as well as other bands. Bill has played in every venue imaginable including: radio. tv, concert halls, nightclubs, hospitals, prisons, military bases and more. He met and performed with Bob Hope, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Roy Clark, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Johnny Ray, Donald O’Connor and many more. His last long-term (10-year) gig was with Kansas City Southern, which had a popular reputation in the United States and Canada for foot-stomping, hand-clapping modern country music. Bill composed lyrics and music for a number of original songs, one of which is a mini rock opera entitled “Man in the Hole” about a man’s life struggles. Some of Bill’s performances can be seen on YouTube.

In addition to his parents, Bill is preceded in death by his brother Robert McLean of CA. He is survived by his brother Warren McLean (Linda) of New Smyrna Beach, FL; sister Patricia Strungis of Matthews, NC; brother Arthur McLean (Tina) of Costa Mesa, CA; brother John McLean (Chris) of Johns Island, SC; 12 nieces and nephews; and nine great nieces and nephews.

A mass in celebration of Bill’s life will be held 1:00 pm Friday, November 24, 2017 at St. Luke Catholic Church, 13700 Lawyers Rd, Mint Hill, NC.