In the Spotlight
“In the Spotlight” is a
new page for the JACB website. Here, we hope to feature selected members from
our talented group of musicians and give them a chance to toot their own horn
Gerald McGuire is a
native of Paris, Tennessee. He graduated from E.W. Grove High School in Paris
and received his Bachelor of Music Education from Murray State University in
Murray, Kentucky where he
directed the Phi Mu Alpha “Men of Note” Jazz Band his senior year and served as
band director for the musical production of "Campus Lights" in 1970. After
teaching band and music for two years, he entered the musical instrument repair
field, which eventually led him to Wallick
Music Co. in Jackson, where he was the store manager. After the
store's closing in 2006, Gerald ventured into his own repair business,
McGuire Band Instrument Service.
As a clarinetist and saxophonist, Gerald played with the Jackson Symphony
for more than 20 seasons, played in the pit orchestra for numerous theatrical
musical productions, and served as Musical Director for the Jackson Theater
Guild's production of Evita. He served as choir director at Bemis United
Methodist Church for 21 years and has served as choir director at Malesus United
Methodist Church since 2002. Gerald is a member of The Fellowship of United
Methodists in Music and Worship Arts and the Worship Design Team of the Memphis
Conference of the United Methodist Church.
A charter member of the Jackson Area Community Bands, he and his wife, Jennifer,
both play clarinet in the concert band. Gerald was a co-founder of the Jazz Band
where he plays clarinet and saxophone, and has served as it’s director since
1996.
