Jim Hudgins: Chief Clinician and Advisor

Mr. Hudgins has been and is an inspiration to all of us associated with American Band Instrument Service. His wisdom, humor, and depth of knowledge about band, music, and the music industry are invaluable to us. His unerring ability to really hear what a wind ensemble is doing has proved invaluable to many bands and directors over a lifetime of his service to them. We are thankful to be associated with him and to call him “friend”.

Jim was born on March 12, 1925 in the community of Cumby in Hopkins County Texas. He moved to Commerce when he was two years old. He grew up and graduated from high school there. Jim attended the then East Texas State Teachers College and graduated from there on December 15, 1949.

He enlisted in the US Navy in December 1942 and served on active duty until September 1945, and reserve duty until 1949. Jim flew in Navy dive-bombers as a gunner in the Pacific during World War II. At the close of the war he had been sent back to the states to become a pilot. However, the war ended before he completed his training.

When he was released from active duty, he taught band a Timpson, Texas from 1945 until 1952. In 1952 he moved to Port Author, Texas where he taught band at Austin High School until 1954. From there he moved to Nacogdoches, Texas and became Director of Bands at Stephen F. Austin State College where he stayed until 1963.

At the end of the school year in 1963 Jim left teaching to become a sales representative for an East Texas music store. Later he served as a Field Sales Manager for C. G. Conn band instrument manufacturer, and also as a District Manager for Selmer Corporation, which is also and band instrument manufacture.

Mr. Hudgins has been with us at American Band Instrument Service since 1990. He has been honored by a long list of music associations and organizations. Some of these include TAU Beta Sigma, Kappa, Kappa PSI, Phi Beta MU, Texas Band Masters, Texas Music Educators, ASBDA, TSTA, and many others.