William H. Blaine, 74

GILFORD — William “Billy” Henry Blaine, loving husband and brother, devoted father and grandfather, talented guitarist, performer and businessman, much loved for his exceptional sense of humor and infectious laugh, kindness and generosity, died peacefully on Nov. 10, 2023. He was 74.

Bill was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1949 and in 1959 moved with his family to Hampstead, New Hampshire. Bill graduated from Pinkerton Academy in 1967 and went on to pursue a BS in business from NH College and an MS in education from Boston University.

He started playing professionally when he was 13 years old and along with his lifetime best friend Gardner Berry, was a founding member of the Telstars (’64 -’69) and the Stone Cross Band, which toured the East Coast from 1969 to 1985. Bill founded the concert production company New England Audio Tech (NEAT) in 1978, then Rainbow Concert Production, which he sold in 2005 when he founded WHB Concert Production, which still supplies sound and lighting for entertainment venues throughout New England. Bill enthusiastically designed sound systems for popular venues, including the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Cape Cod Melody Tent, South Shore Music Circus, the Wilbur Theater and many more. Bill was inducted into the Pinkerton Academy Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2012 was awarded the Trustees’ Meritorious Service award.

Bill was always an early adopter who embodied sound innovation. As a teenager during the space race, Bill built a receiver that caught the beeps of Sputnik as it circled the Earth. His enthusiasm for “all things sound” built his career; we also fondly recall his love of helping new talent into the music business, baseball, movies, tennis, skiing, ice cream, chocolate, his pontoon boat, Scotland … and, of course, Mark Island, Ellen, and the dogs.

Bill is survived by his wife, Ellen (Uicker) Mulligan; daughters, Bethany Blaine (Bryan) and grandchildren Libby and Luke, Jill Mulligan (Steve O’Loughlin) and grandchildren Ethan and Bennett, and Ryan Marshall (Brian) and grandchildren Emmy and Avery; siblings Quentin Blaine (Marcia), Sandy Blaine (Dave Dawe), John Blaine (Laurel), Ed Blaine (Marta), and Mary Blaine Eichin; his in-laws Bill and Rosemary Uicker; and many nieces and nephews.

Bill was the son of the late Henry S. and Winnifred (Brickett) Blaine; and brother to the late Harry C. Blaine (Dee) and Alfred Blaine.

There will be a celebration of life in early December 2023. In lieu of flowers, you may honor Bill’s memory by donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, https://alzfdn.org.

The Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry, is assisting the family. To send a condolence, visit peabodyfuneralhome.com.