Music Man

I posted this to facebook but I wanted to make sure all of  you had a chance to  see it as well. 

I  played the trumpet in high school band.   I will never forget the day that my band director told us that our lives would be changed because of our experiences in the band, and that someday, some of us would even be married to each other.  There was this flute player that had caught my eye.  She finally agreed to go out with me, and we dated for two years in high school.   In the spring of our senior year, her mom died suddenly of a brain aneurism.   Her mom and dad had been active in the band program, and her dad asked that one of the songs that the band had performed be played at her funeral.  Shortly after her mom’s death, her dad moved to North Carolina, and there was a family that agreed to let her stay with them as she transitioned to the local college.   Twenty years later, I was at a church and felt called to start an instrumental ensemble there.  I had no experience doing anything like that, but with the encouragement of a local school administrator, was able to pull a group of 30 players, mostly high school students, including my son and daughter, together.  The highlight of my time with the ensemble was a patriotic program that we put together shortly after 9/11.   We invited a guest conductor in for a Saturday clinic to prepare the program and then performed on Sunday evening.  I think back on that event as one of the most important things that I have ever done.   Through our involvement in the church ensemble, I began playing the trumpet again after 20 years.   I learned of a local community band that was made up of mostly school band directors and applied for membership.   I was given the opportunity to play and participated in that group for five years.  We had many great concerts and trips together, culminating in a 10 day trip to Italy where we were invited to play with the Italian National Band.   My love for instrumental music has remained strong and for the past several years we have been watching with interest the music program at a small university in North Georgia.   We have been supporting the program and have joined a new community band which was started there.

There is a common thread to my story.  That thread is my close friend, David Gregory.  David was my high school band director.  He is the one who predicted I would marry my wife Caroline.  David’s family is the one that allowed Caroline to stay with them after her mom’s death.    David is the school administrator who encouraged me to start an instrumental ensemble at my church.  David is the clinician that led the patriotic program at our church.   David founded the community band that I went to Italy with.  David is the man that built the instrumental program at the university in north Georgia from nothing to their performance this week at the Georgia Music Educator’s Convention.  David is the founder of Georgia Winds, where my wife and I will continue to make music together as long as we are able.  

Thank you, David, for your uncompromising dedication to your craft, your students and for your love and support of me and my family.  I wanted to share this recording of the song that was played at Caroline’s mom’s funeral.     Caroline and I were in the band together for this recording, and it is the only time that I can remember the band also performing vocally.

Who puts his trust in God most just
Hath built his house securely;
He who relies on Jesus Christ,
Shall reach his heaven most surely,
Then fixed on Thee my trust shall be,
For thy truth cannot alter;
While mine Thou art, not death's worst smart
Shall make my courage falter.