Bill Hayes

Bill Hayes is one of those rare writers who have truly lived the old saying: “Write what you know.” Since the 1960s he has turned his three prime passions—music, martial arts, and motorcycles—into a literary career. His publishing proliferation began with penning music reviews for underground '60s newspapers. He then transitioned to magazines, completing his “three M” mix by adding martial arts and motorcycles to his thundering body of work through features in world-class publications like Black Belt and EASYRIDERS. Then came the books! Focused primarily on nonfiction, Bill has chronicled the stories of some of the most interesting people and lifestyles on the planet. His recent forays into the wild world of fiction have been equally compelling. As of January 2021, Bill has authored or co-authored numerous bestsellers and award-winning biographies, including: •The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club (Motorbooks, 2005) •American Biker: The History, the Clubs, the Lifestyle, the Truth (Flash Productions, 2010) •Butterfly Tears: Stories of Entrapment to Empowerment, edited by Wil Drouin and Jennifer Thomas (Butterfly Legacy, 2011) •The One Percenter Encyclopedia (Motorbooks, 2011) •Hullabaloo!: The Life and (Mis)Adventures of L.A. Radio Legend Dave Hull by Dave Hull with Bill Hayes & Jennifer Thomas (Final Word Press, 2012) •Triumphs and Tragedies: A True Story of Wealth and Addiction by Karl McMillen Jr. with Bill Hayes & Jennifer Thomas (Final Word Press, 2013) •Hell On Wheels: An Illustrated History of Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs (Motorbooks, 2014) •Framed In Monte Carlo: How I Was Wrongfully Convicted For a Billionaire's Fiery Death by Ted Maher with Bill Hayes & Jennifer Thomas (Skyhorse Publishing, 2021) •Greatest One Percenter Myths, Mysteries, and Rumors Revealed (Motorbooks, 2016) Highly anticipated titles to be published in 2021 include: •The Price of Gold: Choreographing a Gymnastics Legacy by Geza Pozsar with Bill Hayes & Jennifer Thomas; Foreword by Dominique Moceanu •Scars from the Claws: My Life with Bobby Seale and the Black Panther Party by Artie Seale McMillan with Bill Hayes & Jennifer Thomas •Fighting World War II…in Panama?: A Young Sailor’s Memoirs and Photographs from the Jungle to the City •And the long-awaited culture-contorting epic, Stealing the Blimp: Road-tripping through the Soul of the ’60s, Crash-landing in the Maw of the Millennium! In addition to writing, Hayes is an 8th degree black belt and an instructor in Kenpo Karate at the martial arts studio he co-founded in Torrance, California (www.oldschoolkenpo.com; www.basicyetbrutal.com), with his wife, editor, and pansophical partner, Jennifer Thomas. He also remains ever-active in the SoCal music scene, playing bass with the indie-impassioned Debbie and the GoodMan Band (debbiegoodmanband.com). Visit www.billhayesauthor.com to learn more.