What Band Director had or has the longest tenure as Band Director in the SWAC?


James Holden has been at Virginia State about twenty-three years; Harold Haughton retired from Virginia State in 2003. If you like the well-balanced "Big Band Sound", James Holden is your man.
 



James Holden has been at Virginia State about twenty-three years; Harold Haughton retired from Virginia State in 2003. If you like the well-balanced "Big Band Sound", James Holden is your man.


And he did not get the head job? Must not be any good.
 
The Virginia State band is under the direction of Mark Phillips, former assistant director at PV, and former department chair at Virginia State (2000 - 2006). He also received his Bachelor of Music (Cum Laude) and Master of Education at Virgina State.

That could be a reason why whoever it is you are talking about was passed up. I would always want someone who is a product of the program leading the program, especially if they are as qualified as Dr. Phillips.

http://www.vsu.edu/pages/1498.asp
 
You started my freshman year? I thought you where on staff before I got there.

At any rate, congrats on the upcoming 20 years at UAPB.

I did public school in '87 and was doing arranging and helping out Mr. Burrus after school. In July of '88 he asked me to help him and he hired me in August of '88.


I owe everything to him for giving me my start!

Don't rememd me of those bad arse kids at Southeast Niter!!! Ya'll gave me grey hair!
 
I did public school in '87 and was doing arranging and helping out Mr. Burrus after school. In July of '88 he asked me to help him and he hired me in August of '88.


I owe everything to him for giving me my start!

Don't rememd me of those bad arse kids at Southeast Niter!!! Ya'll gave me grey hair!

Every time I hear the band play "Roses Are Red" I think about the day you passed it out in Fall 88. I remember MACKG commenting on how UAPB was blowing that cut a few years ago when UAPB played GSU in Grambling. That cut still ROCKS to this day.

I think that was one of the first cuts you wrote for the band.
 
Every time I hear the band play "Roses Are Red" I think about the day you passed it out in Fall 88. I remember MACKG commenting on how UAPB was blowing that cut a few years ago when UAPB played GSU in Grambling. That cut still ROCKS to this day.

I think that was one of the first cuts you wrote for the band.

Yea! DMac and I were CB's and took almost every music class together. When I asked him could I do it for the band, He asked Babyface what did he think and he gave me the go-ahead! :)
 



He doesn?t have a PhD, but Holden?s talents are very similar to Harold Haughton and Dowell Taylor.
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I would not doubt that but he is gonna need a PhD to be the Director of Bands at Jackson State. That may be sad/unfair but we know this already. Dowell Taylor send help!!
 
Yeah Chief still teaches at Valley. He's still the Lower Brass instructor and he teaches Music Appreciation. He been teaching at Valley since the mid 60s I didn't know that Dr Greggs was Chief's Middle School director.

Yep, and his(Tramiel) son, Buck-o-five (can't remember his real name) marched in the Jukebok '89,'90,and '91 and pledged KKPsi at Zeta Nu(Southern), before transferring to Valley in the spring of '92 where he marched in the band and pledged Omega (Beta Theta). Dude said his Dad had wanted him to go to Southern for a while, because of Doc.
 
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