Bill Kelly began his career in San Francisco in 1980 playing guitar and bass in the Magaña Baptiste Middle Eastern Dance Troupe for several years, performing throughout the Bay area. His first show with them was the Tribal Stomp, put on by Chet Helms and the Family Dog at the legendary Monterey Fairgrounds. Bill later spent time as resident musician in SF's The National Theater of the Deranged, and played in the folk/bluegrass singing group Spare Parts.
Bill then moved to NJ where he grew up, and began focusing on his singing and songwriting. He wrote the material and recorded with his band the self titled Bill Kelly and the House of Cards, of which, found fans in the likes of film director Ken Russell, who used two tracks from the CD, "On The Border" and "This Man" in his 1992 film Whore. And Rob Morrow of Northern Exposure, who used his influence to place the track "Fish House Road" in the CBS hit series, along with many fans in the tri state area. Bill Kelly and the House of Cards played strip joints, country clubs, children's birthday parties and many other venues until they ultimately lived up to their name. He continued fronting many lineups with some of the best musicians from the NJ/NYC area, Bill sang jingles, demos and backing vocals for many projects, and along the way had the privilege to write and record with many wonderfully talented people.