Larry Wills WWI and American Sheet Music Collection, 1832-1973 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Larry Paul Wills (1937- ) is a lifelong music educator. Born in Beloit, Kansas to parents Paul and Eva Wills, he graduated from Beloit High School in 1954. While in high school, Wills was a member of the High School YMCA, sang in the chorus, and played trombone in band, orchestra, brass sextet, trombone trio, and pep band. Following this, he attended the University of Wichita (now Wichita State University), earning his bachelors degree in music education in 1959. During his time as a student, Wills was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, A Cappella Choir, Music Educators National Convention (student representative), Band, and Fine Arts Center Student Council. In 1959 he began teaching band in his hometown of Beloit, Kansas. In 1962, he accepted a position in Topeka, Kansas at Curtis Junior High School. After this school reduced their music course offerings, he transitioned to a position teaching social science at Boswell Junior High, took on school administrative roles, and eventually retired as an English as a Second Language teacher in 1999.

In 2000, he became a tour guide at Kansas State Capitol in Topeka. Wills quickly developed a reputation as "the singing tour guide," singing songs about the murals and art around the Capitol Building. He retired from this role in 2025. Throughout most of his adult life, Wills was also fascinated by songs of the past, acquiring a sheet music collections that included titles from around the Midwest.

"Introduction of Guests," Journal of the House (February 26, 2025): chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year1/ready_for_publication/journal/daily_journal_house_20250226123805.pdf

"Larry Wills," Beloit High School Trojan Year Book, 1954, 15.

"Larry Wills," Wichita University Parnassus Year Book, 1959, 255.