Professional Staff
Jack A. Eaddy - Director of Athletic Bands jeaddy@wcu.edu
Jack A. Eaddy, Jr., a native of Orangeburg, SC, is the Director of Athletic Bands at Western Carolina University, where he serves as the Director of Pride of the Mountains and conducts the Symphonic Band in the School of Music. Prior to his appointment at WCU, Dr. Eaddy served as Assistant Director of Bands at McNeese State University and the University of South Carolina, where he assisted with athletic bands, including the Pride of McNeese Marching Band and the Carolina Band, as well as taught music education courses.
Dr. Eaddy earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting from the University of North Texas. He holds a Master of Music in Wind Conducting from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida State University. As Director of Bands at Oak Ridge High School, Dr. Eaddy developed a flourishing program that was recognized throughout the state of Florida for maintaining the highest standards in spite of the challenges that many of its students experienced. Dr. Eaddy received the Florida Music Educators Association Tom Bishop Award that recognizes a director in the state of Florida who has turned a program around, making a positive difference in a short amount of time.
Dr. Eaddy has presented at state and national music conferences, including the Midwest Clinic and CBDNA Southern Division and Athletic Band Conferences. As a conductor, some of his honors include being a participant in the U.S. Pershing’s Own Army Band’s conducting workshop and receiving 2nd place for the 2020 American Prize in Conducting. Dr. Eaddy is an active drill writer, arranger, adjudicator, and clinician; and was a clinician at the inaugural National HBCU National Band Directors’ Conducting Symposium. Dr. Eaddy has earned a national reputation mentoring music directors and convenes two professional development seminars: Listen Up!!! score study sessions, and the Conductors’ reToolbox, as well as hosts a national podcast, Tales from the Band Room, that focuses on strengthening music education programs in urban communities to have a life-long impact on students. His professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, the College Band Directors National Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Beta Sigma, Phi Mu Alpha, and Pi Kappa Lambda, Music Honor Society. Dr. Eaddy has contributed to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, published by GIA Music.
Dr. Eaddy and his lovely wife Dr. LaShonda L. Eaddy, a public relations and crisis communications professor, have two beautiful daughters, Jillian and Jordyn.
Trevor Bailey - Assistant director of Athletic Bands tbailey@wcu.edu
Trevor Bailey serves as the Assistant Professor of Music/ Assistant Director of Athletic
Bands at Western Carolina University. Mr. Bailey previously served as Director of
Bands at the University of Pikeville (UPike). While at UPike, Mr. Bailey started the
first marching band program in school history and helped cement the band program into
the school’s rich Appalachian culture. He also served as the advisor for the Black
Student Union and Faculty in Residence during his tenure at UPike. Mr. Bailey was
awarded the 2020 KMEA College Band Director of the Year for District 9.
Mr. Bailey recently completed his graduate teaching assistantship at the University
of Alabama where he studied under the guidance of Kenneth B. Ozzello, assisting in the daily
operations of the band program, supervising the 400 students of the Million Dollar
Band, and aiding in the planning and execution of the Crimson Cavalcade of Bands,
Alabama Honor Bands, and Summer Crimson Music Camps. In addition, he served as the
conductor of the University Band and doctoral conducting associate for the Alabama
Wind Ensemble. He will be completing his D.M.A. in Wind Conducting later this year.
Before his time in Tuscaloosa, Mr. Bailey earned a Masters in Music Education degree
from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) where he served as a graduate teaching assistant
with the band program. During his tenure at UNR, he studied under the guidance of
Mack McGrannahan, Kate Pollard, William J. Plenk, and R. Reed Chamberlin. Furthermore,
he was a member of the music department’s recruiting team, assisted in hosting the College
Band Directors National Association Western/Northwestern and American Bandmasters
Association conferences. He also instructed undergraduate Conducting and Marching
Band Techniques courses.
Mr. Bailey received his Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from Northwestern State
University where he studied under the guidance of William E. Brent, Jeff Mathews,
and Masahito Kuroda. Throughout his time in Natchitoches, he was a member of the Wind
Symphony, Wind Ensemble, and served as the baritone section leader for The Spirit
of Northwestern Marching Band.
Outside of his education, in 2007 Mr. Bailey began serving as a brass instructor and
recruiting coordinator for The Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps and played a vital role
in helping the corps return to the 2009 Drum Corps International Finals after a 23-year
absence. He has also served as a brass instructor with the Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment,
and The Cadets. In 2012, Mr. Bailey served as a clinician and judge for Yamaha Music
of Asia, mentoring several bands in Thailand and Malaysia, including the Horwang Marching
Band from Bangkok, Thailand. They achieved their second consecutive Silver Medal placing
during Thailand’s 2012 Indoor Marching Band Championships under his leadership.
Mr. Bailey holds memberships with Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity, Phi Mu
Alpha Music Fraternity, National Band Association, College Band Directors National
Association and Kentucky Music Educators Association.
Matt Henley-Assistant Director of Athletic Bands mhenley@wcu.edu
Matt Henley is the Assistant Director of Athletic Bands at Western Carolina University, which includes assisting with the Sudler Trophy winning "Pride of the Mountains" marching band and the two "Cathouse Bands". One of Mr. Henley's primary duties is the Marching Percussion Program at WCU. This includes teaching and arranging for the marching ensemble. Matt earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music from Western Carolina University, and has played with and instructed such groups as the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, the Limestone College Percussion Studio, the Tuscola High School Percussion Program, Showband Gifhorn, and the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. His high school groups have performed at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, numerous North Carolina Days of Percussion, and have won the Open Class CIPA Percussion Championship along with many years of successful marching band high percussion awards. He has served as the Chief Percussion Judge for the Carolina Indoor Performance Association, has adjudicated for numerous indoor percussion circuits, and has written for groups in Germany, Canada, Hawaii, and the Continental United States. Mr. Henley was recently asked to write for and instruct the first two All-American Marching Bands in San Antonio, TX in 2008 and 2009. This group was promoted by MENC and the US Army. He was also nominated for the WCU Excellence in Teaching Award by the College of Fine and Performing Arts, and serves as the Recruiting Liaison for the School of Music and the Office of Admissions at Western. Currently Matt serves on the National Percussive Arts Society Marching Committee, and in addition to his teaching duties, he composes, arranges, adjudicates, and is a prominent percussion clinician across the United States. Mr. Henley is a member of CBDNA, MENC, IARP, PAS, and proudly supports products from Yamaha, Remo, Zildjian, and Vic Firth companies. He resides with his wife Angie and son Landon in Clyde, NC.
Douglas Thrower is a free-lance composer/arranger/ trumpeter from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He has been the arranger for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from Canton, Ohio since 1997. He has instructed and arranged for many bands and drum corps including The Troopers, Dutch Boy, the Kiwanis Kavaliers and the Canadian Knights (1986 Class A World Champions). He currently composes and arranges for numerous high schools and universities. In addition to marching music he arranges for various ensembles, jazz and symphonic, as well as theater groups.
Doug studied with Don Johnson at Humber College in Toronto and studied jazz performance at McGill University in Montreal. He has recorded performances for the C.B.C. and can be heard on four recordings with the McGill Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Gordon Foote.
Doug, with his wife Evelyn Blackwell, have two daughters, Shelby and Claire.
Jamey Thompson, Visual Designer from Chicago, Illinois, has been involved in marching band and drum and bugle corps for over thirty years. “I’ve greatly respected David’s many contributions to the activity. To work with him and have to opportunity to design for the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is a tremendous honor.”
Jamey was the Visual Designer for Phantom Regiment from 2005-2007 and 2011-2014; Madison Scouts from 2003-2004; and the Glassmen from 1997-2002. He was recently named Visual Designer for Atlanta CV Drum & Bugle Corps from Atlanta, GA for the 2015 season and returns for his fifth season with three-time WAMSB Champion Calgary Stampede Showband, from Calgary, Canada. Previous DCA credits include Connecticut Hurricanes from 2008-2014 and Empire Statesmen from 2001-2006. Marching band projects include programs throughout the United States, including bands in Florida, Indiana and Texas.
Jamey graduated with a B.B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and worked in not-for-profit accounting and arts-management before dedicating his time exclusively to the pageantry arts.
