Bill Kelly

Driven by an intense passion for music and a pioneering spirit that has kept pace with the cutting-edge for nearly four decades, few individuals have had as meaningful and lasting an impact upon the dance music industry as DJ Bill Kelly. His humble beginnings in 1972 as a DJ at Warehouse VIII in Miami, FL, placed him squarely at the forefront of a movement as it poised to sweep across the nation. With the birth of disco, Bill introduced many artists to their first audiences, helping launch the careers of performers who have gone on to become household names. As his career flourished, his many awards and accolades set the groundwork for the business ventures that would transform the industry. Named 1980 Miami DJ of the Year by Billboard Magazine coincided with the launch of the Flamingo Record Pool and receiving multiple Gold and Platinum Recording Industry Association of America Sales Awards for their efforts with artists including Donna Summer, KC & The Sunshine Band, Depeche Mode, Madonna, Eminem, Pink, Missy Elliot, Trick Daddy, Outkast and C&C Music Factory. Yet none of these achievements could prepare him for what would come next. Beginning in 1986, and currently running for 26 consecutive years, Bill is the Co-Founder and Director of the Winter Music Conference (WMC), the largest dance music convention in the world. What began as an industry event for DJs, Music Producers, Record Company scouts and venue promoters, WMC now brings over 1.2 million people to Miami for the largest gathering of Dance and Electronic Music performers, industry professionals and an overwhelming international audience. Now considered the close of the main tourist season in Miami Beach WMC generates over $250 million in taxable revenues for Miami Dade County, earning Bill the Key to the City of Miami Beach, induction into the Dance Music Authority Magazine’s “Hall of Fame” and a Life-Time achievement awards from the DJ Awards given this past September in Ibiza. Through WMC, Bill has introduced the next generation of talented performers to mainstream audience, assisting with launching the careers of Danny Tenaglia, Oscar G and many other DJs. Recently, Bill has received global recognition for the industry shaping impact his career has had upon electronic dance music. Accepting invitations to perform at influential dance music destinations, his performances include WMC Surfcomber Pool Parties on Miami Beach, headlining performance at Club Amnesia in Ibiza, Spain, cutting edge contemporary music sets at Cortes in Sardinia, Italy and cementing his position at the forefront of tomorrow’s breaking trends, a 2011 set at IPM in Roma (Rome, Italy) inspired IPM to confirm future dates in 2012 and 2013.