CCCB - Previous Featured Members

Previous Featured Members

Richard Dixon, Columbia, Bass Clarinet

Richard was born and grew up in Charleston, SC, where he started playing clarinet in the 5th grade and then switched to bass clarinet in high school. "After pestering my band director for a year, he finally relented and let me switch to bass clarinet. It must have been the right move because I went on to make Jr. All State Band and Senior All State Band," says Richard. He went on to play in the University Of South Carolina Bands, and still today plays the Selmer bass clarinet that his parents presented to him his senior year in high school.

Richard is currently the owner and Technician of Allegro Winds, a woodwind musical instrument repair shop. His career began at Fox Music House where he learned Band Instrument Repair under Buford Maxwell. He worked at Charleston Naval Shipyard for 10 years where he began as an Apprentice and graduated to Journeyman Machinist. After working as a draftsman for a year at IDEA of Charleston his career moved to R&D at Cummins Engine Company for 10 years. In 1999 he accepted an offer to become part of the start up team at Siemens Diesel Systems and moved to Columbia and worked with them for 7 years. Since then he has worked for Westinghouse, Flextronics and SCE&G.

Before coming to CCCB he helped found the Charleston Community Band and was a member for 27 years. He also performed one season with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and performed with a saxophone quartet called "Simply Sax" for 10 years. These days, in addition performing with the CCCB, Richard performs with the Riverland Hills Baptist Church Orchestra, Bob Knox's Blue Serenade Orchestra, Gene Dyke's Big Band, The Five Points Wild Irish Band, the Columbia Summer Band, and the German band, Die Lustigen Musikanten.

He and his family enjoy boating aboard their 22' Bayliner crusier, and he also enjoys motorcycling on his '82 Suzuki GS1100 GL and Honda Silver Wing.

He met his wife Felicia when she joined The Charleston Community Band playing flute. They now play together in several musical groups. His son Dodge is starting to play bari sax, and his daughter Dana plays clarinet and wants to start oboe. Rounding out the family is a German Shepherd named Charlie and a Dalmatian named Spot.

Eugene Long, Chapin, Euphonium

Eugene (Gene) Long was born in Richmond, Virginia and played baritone and trombone in the John Marshall High School Cadet band. He commuted to Randolph-Macon College while working as a florist and playing dance music on the weekends. Following a degree in economics and philosophy at RMC, he received a divinity degree from Duke University, followed by the Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow, Scotland.

He is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at USC Columbia, where he served as Chair of the Department for 15 years, published a dozen books and many articles (read by few, according to Gene :-) ), and delivered lectures at many universities and conferences in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America.

'Although I was all state on baritone and trombone and a member of a good high school band I had not picked up a horn in over 50 years when, with fear and trembling, I joined the CCCB. Fifty years have taken their toll in terms of ability and confidence, but I will always be very grateful to Bill Ackerman, Dave Roof and many others who have encouraged me.' Gene also plays with the Blythewood Jazz Orchestra and the Gene Dykes Jazz Orchestra, and he sings with the Lexington County Choral Society.

Gene met his girlfriend of more than 50 years, Lyn, at Duke University. She had done mathematics at SUNY Cortland and completed the M.A.T. in mathematics and education at Duke. She taught school in Scotland and later completed the Ph.D at USC while serving as a teacher and administrator in Lexington / Richland District Five. Their daughter, Kathy, is an attorney living with her family in Irmo and their son, a computer engineer, lives with his family in Roswell, Georgia. From these unions have come five grandchildren, including several with interests in music.

Gene has what he calls an ordinary guy's art collection, mainly European. He and Lyn spend a good bit of time in the North Carolina mountains and enjoy trips abroad.

Tom Sanford, Columbia, French Horn

Tom Sanford was born and grew up in Meadville, PA. He graduated from high school in June of 1962 and within two weeks enlisted in the U.S. Army as a musician in the Army Band Program. He served for 23 years as a musician, the last ten of them right here at Ft. Jackson. He retired as the First Sergeant of the 282nd Army Band. After retirement, he attended Midlands Technical College and completed the Surgical Technology course.

He is presently unemployed after returning in July of 2010 from 21 months of service as a contractor in Afghanistan, performing water purification for our troops and the ISAF troops at Bagram Airfield, in the northern mountains.

He is a member of the Main Street Harmonizers, the Lexington County chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and a member of the Front Page News! barbershop quartet. He also sings with the Palmetto Mastersingers and the chancel choir at College Place United Methodist Church. He also rides a Goldwing motorcycle and is a member of the VFW and the American Legion.

He and his wife Henrietta have a small menagerie of pets - dogs and one cat. They are members of a group of volunteers called Task Force Marshal which honors our deploying Naval and Army personnel at Eagle Aviation just prior to their departure for assignments in the Middle East. Tom says, "Being a veteran myself, I consider it a high honor to be able to show these fine troops that we support them in their missions." The task force hosts holiday meals for the veterans and their families throughout the year at the Bluff Road National Guard Armory.

Robert Knox, Columbia, Trombone

Robert Knox was born in Greenville, NC and grew up in Charleston and Walterboro, SC. In 1963 he moved to Columbia and graduated from the South Carolina Area Trade School (now the Midlands Tech Airport Campus) with a degree in electronic technology. He worked as a communications technician for AT&T for over 32 years before retiring in 1999.

He is the leader of The Blue Serenade Orchestra, a 17-piece swing band that plays for wedding receptions and concerts at churches, retirement communities, and other venues. He collects personal photos and stories from World War II veterans as well as uniforms and field gear. He also collects piano sheet music from the Swing Era (1935-1955) and has a large collection of Swing Era recordings. As if all that doesn't keep him busy enough, he also finds time to teach the history of World War II and the music of the Swing Era at the Shepherd's Center of Columbia, an interfaith senior adult continuing education organization.

He is married to the former Mary Mouzon for 52 years and counting, and they have 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

Wendy Graham, Cayce, Trombone

I was born in Cheverly, Maryland but did most of my growing up in Macon, GA and Columbia, SC. I learned how to play the trombone because it was an instrument that was up in the attic. Little did I know at the time, I would begin following in the footsteps of my grandfather, uncle, and father on the King side of the family. Trombone playing runs in the family. I began playing trombone in 6th grade and have been playing pretty much ever since. I played in high school and in college. I attended USC Columbia and marched with the Carolina Band (Go Cocks!) all four years of undergrad. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and realized I was too nice to be a police officer. I pursued an Education Specialist degree in Counselor Education, Family and Marriage Therapy and completed that degree in May 2003. Somewhere between the graduate coursework, getting married, and buying a home, I walked away from my horn.

Currently, I have the blessed opportunity to work as a psychotherapist in Columbia, SC. I have my own practice and I see miracles every day. I also work at Richland Springs in their Partial Hospitalization unit. When I'm not working, you can typically find me playing trombone w/ CCCB; it's my 2nd year and I love it. If I'm not playing trombone, or working, you can typically find me playing World of Warcraft on the computer with my husband, reading books (I LOVE to read), spending time with my fuzzy kitties, watching NASCAR on Sundays, and spending time with my Gramma on Hilton Head Island. I also have gotten into taking Zumba (think salsa dancing + aerobics) and Gentle Yoga.

Lindsey Sturkie, Lexington, Tuba

Lindsey grew up in Lexington, SC and graduated from Lexington High in 1979. He participated in high school marching band, concert band (tuba and baritone) and jazz band (string bass and electric bass.) Following that, he played in the Columbia Junior Philharmonic Orchestra and All County and All State Bands. He attended Holmes Theological Seminary, UNC Pembroke, Campbell University and graduated from USC College of Nursing.

He works as a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Lexington Medical Center. He has done Medical Missions with Operation Blessing in the Phillipines, Nicaragua, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuadore as a surgical nurse consultant.

Lindsey is also a long distance back packer. His most notable hike was the Appalchian Trail solo from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut: approximately 1800 miles. His ambition is to do a "flipflop" from Georgia to Maine and then back to Georgia before he turns 50. "That date is coming up faster than I thought," he says. In the meantime he enjoys horticulture and wood working.

Lindsey says, "This is my third season with the CCCB and I truly enjoy every rehearsal and concert. It was a joyous day when I discovered the CCCB. I consider it a privalege to sit under the baton of Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Franklin. This is currently the only group I play in but I have played in various church groups and small community groups over the years."

Kim Thompson, , Flute

Kim was born in Ohio and grew up in Greenville, SC. She went to Mauldin High School and then Clemson University, where she earned a B.S. in teaching mathmematics while marching in the Tiger Band from 1975-1979. For the past 21 years she has taught math at Pelion High School, where she currently teaches probability and statistics. In addition to playing with the CCCB, she also plays at her church. When not playing, she enjoys reading, driving the mom taxi, watching any sports her children play, and attending band contests. Her older daughter plays french horn and made Junior All-State Band this year. Her husband, John, plays tuba and euphonium with the CCCB, and they've been members since 1984.

Tommy Fitzgerald, Columbia, Alto Saxophone

Tommy grew up in Lexington, SC and Harlem, GA. He attended Thomson High School in Thomson, GA; the University of Georgia, where he earned BMEd and MMEd degrees; and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, where he earned a MDIV in Church Music. He now works as the assistant director of music at Shandon Presbyterian Church as well as part time at the SC Department of Revenue. In addition to playing with the CCCB, he also plays with the Columbia Area Jazz Band and sings with the Shandon Presbyterian Church Chancel and Chapel Choirs. He also enjoys motorcycling, reading, exercising, and traveling.

Pamella Price, West Columbia, Clarinet

Pam was born in Charlotte in 1956, moved to Jacksonville, FL in the early 60's, and then moved to the Midlands in the late 60's. She grew up mostly in Cayce and was in the first class to go into the old Busbee Middle School. There she joined the band and had our very own Bill Ackerman as her band director. She graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School in 1974 where she was in the band all four years under the direction of Carl Brown, and she then attended USC.

Pam has one son, John, who is the sales manager at Carolina Honda Motorcycles, and a new daughter-in-law, Jessica, who teaches fourth grade at Satchel Ford Elementary.

She has worked for 20 years with the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC), a non-profit journalism association, where she maintains the database for the 3500+ members and 5000+ publication subscribers. She also works in the registration area at the Lexington Medical Center Urgent Care in Irmo.

In addition to playing with the CCCB, Pam is a charter member of both the Columbia Summer Band and the Wild Irish Band. When not playing her clarinet, she enjoys working in the yard, fishing, camping, and going on trips. Her favorite activity is riding with Mike on his Harley. She's hoping one day to be a driver instead of always being a passenger.

Melissa Comley, Lexington, French Horn

Melissa grew up in Oak Harbor, OH, a small, rural town near Toledo. She went to Oak Harbor High School and Miami University in Oxford, OH, where she majored in music education. She is currently the band director at Mid-Carolina Middle School in Prosperity, and she also assists with the Mid-Carolina HS "Rebel Regiment." In addition to playing with the CCCB, she also performs with the Columbia Summer Band and occasionally the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra. When not playing her horn, she enjoys spending as much time as possible with her family doing things like riding bicycles and camping.

David Buckwalter, Columbia, Trombone

Dave was born in Ft. Benning, GA and lived in Berlin, Germany; Orwingsburg, PA; and Yokohama, Japan before arriving in Columbia at age 9. He attended A.C. Flora High School and one year at USC before entering the Army in 1963, in which he served for six years in the band. Upon discharge he attended Midlands Tech and earned an associates degree in business and data processing. From 1969 until 2002 he worked as a programmer and systems analyst for several Columbia-based companies. In 2002 he decided to turn a long term hobby into a business and opened David Buckwalter's Re-Stored Memories, through which he digitally restores photos, creates CDs and DVDs, copies tapes to DVDs, etc. In addition to playing with the CCCB he also plays with the German band Die Lustigen Musikanten, a dance band called The Blue Notes, as well as for various churches. When not playing his trombone, he enjoys hunting and reading, going through at least one book a week. Dave says, 'I can't imagine not having music in my life. I really think that it helps keep me young. I hope I can keep playing up until the end.'

Gayle Sims, Columbia, Clarinet

Gayle grew up in Union, SC and lived there until graduating from Union High School; she began playing the clarinet in the 7th grade. After high school she attended Furman University for two years where she played in the marching, concert and pep bands. She then transferred to USC, where she continued playing in the marching, concert, and pep bands. She did graduate work at Georgia State University, and after graduating she did not touch her clarinet for about 15 years, but pulled it out (the same one she used during school and still plays) when she read about the CCCB in the newspaper with Bill Ackerman conducting. (She was in the band at USC with Bill.) She has been playing with the band since that first year and today plays with the Wild Irish Band, the summer band, her church orchestra (Cornerstone Presbyterian Church) and several other churches during holidays.

She taught elementary school for 34 years, most of those in the Irmo area. She retired in 2000 and since then has worked part time at the Columbia Skin Clinic as a transcriptionist and at USC as a supervisor for MAT interns in elementary education. She loves to travel and tries to go as much as she can maneuver around her work schedule. She also loves gardening and reading. She has two children, Jay and Lee, who are both married, and she has two granddaughters, 4 and 1 (Jay) and one on the way (Lee) in January.

Ken Howell, Lexington, Percussion

Ken began playing drums in high school and was an active member of the Dothan High School (AL) marching & concert bands and a student dance band. He played in the Auburn University marching band, symphonic band, and orchestra in 1950 - 51. After a tour of duty in the Air Force, he re-joined the Auburn Band from 1953 - 55, until he transferred to Texas Tech, where he earned his degree in Animal Science.

Following graduation, he began a career in real estate appraisal, which he pursued until retirement in 1994. The last 20 years of his career were equally divided as Chief Real Estate Appraiser for the Florida Department of Natural Resources, and as Appraiser Administrator for the Florida DOT. He held the professional appraisal designations of Senior Real Estate Appraiser, and Member, Appraisal Institute. He was active in teaching appraisal theory for both organizations and for the Florida DOT.

Along with his wife Sylvia he was a founding member of the Big Bend Community Orchestra in Tallahassee, FL, and after moving to Lexington, SC, of the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra. He is active in the LMSO, Wild Irish Marching Band, the summer band, and Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church Choir and Orchestra. Much of his time is also devoted to organizations advocating for the mentally ill, and to Habitat for Humanity where he recently completed work on his 58th home-build. Ken and Sylvia have two children and one grandson.

Kay White, Columbia, Alto Saxophone

Kay has been with the CCCB since 1986. She grew up in Asheville, NC and went to Meredith College in Raleigh. She then earned her M.Ed. at USC and did other post graduate work at several colleges and universities. She worked as a school teacher and a guidance counselor, and she is now retired. She has three children and six grandchildren. In addition to playing with the CCCB, she also plays with the Wild Irish Band, the Summer Band, and in a church band along with her son and grandsons. She also sings in the choir at Shandon Prebyterian Church. Some of her other hobbies include tap dancing, genealogy, being a beach bum at Sullivan's Island, and spending time with friends and family.

Janet Teuber, Columbia, Trumpet

Janet grew up in Bastrop, LA (northeast corner of the state) and Georgetown, SC. She attended Winyah High School in Georgetown and then USC. She now works as the senior analyst for the USC data warehouse at USC University Technology Services. In addition to playing with the CCCB, she also plays at Shandon Presbyterian Church, and when not playing her trumpet, she dabbles with African drumming and Argentine tango.

Franklin Buie, Columbia, Alto Clarinet

Frank grew up in Spartanburg and Columbia and attended Dreher High School, then Wofford College, and then Duke Divinity School. He worked for 36 years as a United Methodist pastor, serving in Greenwood, Anderson, Belton, Columbia, Lexington, and Saluda; he retired in 1999. In addition to playing with the CCCB, he also plays with the Wild Irish Band, the summer band, and subs with Die Lustigen Musikanten (a German Band based in the Midlands.) He also enjoys history, woodworking, fishing, and editing a church newsletter.

Sherry Moncer, Lexington, Clarinet

Sherry was born in Leon, France, spent most of her young childhood in Tennessee, and then moved to South Carolina in 1972. She graduated from Lower Richland High School and attended USC for a year and now works at the SC Baptist Convention as a ministry assistant in the Music and Creative Worship Group. In addition to playing with the CCCB she also plays in the orchestra at her church (Green Hill Baptist in West Columbia) and also plays with several other churches for Easter and Christmas programs, as well as sings in her church choir. In addition to music she also enjoys sports and community events. She's been married for 25 years to Gene, who plays in the trumpet section. Their two daughters are students at USC; one is a Gamecock cheerleader and the other is majoring in music education.

Sarah Hood, Irmo, Percussion

Sarah grew up mostly in Irmo, but her family moved around a great deal, spending time in California, Illinois, and Virginia. She attended Irmo High School and then USC, where she received her undergraduate degree in music education, followed by her Masters Degree in Library and Information Science. She now works at Edens Library at Columbia College. In addition to playing with the CCCB, she also plays with the Columbia College Wind Ensemble, and she also studies Tae Kwon Do.