Garry Taylor retired after a thirty-one year career as a band director, serving most of those years at Cullman High School in Cullman, Alabama. Mr. Taylor received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Auburn University and Master’s Degree and A.A. Certificate from the University of North Alabama. He served as Vice-President and President of the Alabama Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators. He served twice as Chairman of the Alabama Bandmasters Association, District III as well as Recording Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Alabama Bandmasters Association. He received the National Band Association Citation of Excellence, was selected as an “Outstanding Young Man of America”, inducted into “Who’s Who among American High School Teachers” was selected “Featured Alumnus” of the Auburn University Bands, and is the recipient of the AMEA Barbara Odom Distinguished Service Award. In 2015 he was inducted into the Phi Beta Mu Alabama Bandmasters Hall of Fame. Mr. Taylor is Executive Director of the Alabama Music Educators Association and Editor of Ala Breve, the official publication of AMEA. He currently conducts the Cullman Community Band and often serves as guest conductor of honor bands and as an adjudicator throughout the Southeast.

Dr. Clifford M. “Ski” Winter received his MA and EdD from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Upon graduation from the University, he received the M. Ray Loree Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research, which is awarded by the Graduate School.

Ski taught high school band at Daleville HS from 1973-1976, and moved on to teach at Huffman HS from 1976-1988. During the Huffman years, the bands received 15 years of superior ratings. He received the Stanbury Outstanding Young Band Director Award for the Southeast while teaching at Huffman. He also served as ABA President during this time helping effect positive changes within the organization. Many of his band students later became successful band directors in their own right: Theo Vernon, Kim Bain, Dale Hovey, Robert Smith – to name a few.

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