HMB e-News

The Husky Band and WMEA Hall of Fame: A proud association

The Husky Marching Band is proud to announce the induction of HMB Director Brad McDavid into the Washington Music Educators Association’s Hall of Fame at the organization’s recent biennial convention. Also inducted in this year’s distinguished class was former Husky Band member Jo (Perella) Caldwell.

Brad and Jo’s induction continues a proud history of former HMB students and staff members who have been granted the state’s highest honor for music educators.

The following are former members and/or staff members of the Husky Band who have been induction into the WMEA Hall of Fame:

• Phil Ager – Inducted 1998 (Assistant HMB Director, 1957-64. Also taught in the Edmonds School District and was head of the Music Department at WWU from 1966-1977)
• Bill Bissell – Inducted 1998 (Director, 1970-1993. Also taught in the Bremerton School District prior to his appointment at UW)
• Bruce Caldwell – Inducted 1998 (Assistant HMB Director, 1965-80. Also taught in the Edmonds School District from 1964-95 and served as the first Executive Director of WMEA from 1995-2015.Bruce was WMEA President from1992-94)
• Bill Cole – Inducted 1998 (Director, 1957-69. Served as Director of Bands at WWU from 1971-79. He also served as WMEA President from 1966-68)
• Roy Cummings – Inducted 1998 (HMB member from 1958-59 and was head of UW Jazz faculty from 1970-2000)
• Garry Nakayama – Inducted 1998 (HMB member 1960-64. Also served as an HMB Assistant Director from 1971-1979 and is currently the HMB pressbox photographer. Previously taught at Meadowdale HS and Kilo JH)
• Ken Noreen – Inducted in 1998 (HMB member 1960-64 and HMB staff member from 1965-82. Also taught at Shorecrest High School from 1970-94 and was WMEA President 1986-88)
• Randy Rockhill – Inducted 1998 (HMB member 1936-1939 and taught in Renton Public Schools)
• Walter Welke – Inducted 1998 (Director, 1929-56. Taught at UW for a total of 41 years)
• Dale Gleason – Inducted 2000 (HMB member 1960-64 and also taught at Hazen High School as well as Bellevue Community College)
• Morris Pedersen – Inducted 2000 (Assistant HMB Director 1971-1993 and script writer for HMB under Bill Bissell. Also taught at Manson HS, Central Kitsap HS, & Pierce College)
• Jim Kovach – Inducted 2014 (HMB member 1978-1982 and has taught at Edmonds-Woodway HS and currently is band director at Wenatchee High School)
• Jo Caldwell – Inducted 2016 as first honorary inductee. (HMB member 1959-61; taught in the Edmonds School District and served as the editor for WMEA’s VOICE magazine for the last 20 years).
• Brad McDavid – Inducted 2016 (Director, 1994-Present. Also taught public school in Ohio and Arizona)

The Washington Music Educators Hall of Fame was established by the WMEA board of Directors to give recognition for exceptional support, inspiration and outstanding contribution to the growth and development of music education, both public and private, in the state of Washington.

It was established in 1998 with a charter class of 125 members, with an additional class of 70 members being inducted two years later. Since that time, up to ten members per biennium are elected to the Hall of Fame and are inducted at the biennial WMEA state convention in Yakima.

In June 2011 the WMEA Hall of Fame Wall of Recognition was dedicated in the Jerilyn S. Mcintyre Music Building at Central Washington University.