Faculty

	Jack Clark Jack Clark, virtuoso pianist, author, songwriter, arranger, producer, teacher, grandfather, husband of one wife, winner of an Angel award for video, music production, recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Keyboard Wizardry from Calvary Christian Academy, is in his own words, still a quartet man. Jack started his piano training at the age of five. He played for his first gospel quartet at twelve and fell deeply in love with the music. Currently the pianist and orchestra director at his home church, as well as pianist and arranger for the Premiers, he has had extensive experience in performing, evangelism, recording, writing, publishing and teaching. His musical travels have taken him into 42 of our 50 United States and several foreign countries.
	Shawn Degenhart Shawn Degenhart holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music History and Theory/Composition from the Illinois State University and a Master's Degree in Choral Conducting from the Illinois State University. He attended the Stamps-Baxter School of Music from 1998 to 2000, and returned in 2004 as a member of the faculty teaching the most advanced level. He did graduate level research on Southern Gospel Music including the history of the American Singing School and the Stamps-Baxter Music and Printing Company. He served as an adjunct professor at Illinois State University, directing the vocal jazz choir in the fall of 2003. He was full-time minister of music at the Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, IL for four years.
	Freddie Edwards Freddie Edwards holds a degree in music as well as a Master's Degree in Elementary Education. Since 1981 he has taught elementary music at Poteau School in Poteau, OK. In 1989 he was honored with the Teacher of the Year Award from the Poteau Public School System. He has also been an active teacher at the Stamps-Baxter School of Music every summer since 1991. In 1998 he was added to the staff of teachers at the Texas Southern Gospel Music School. He started his own publishing company in 1998 and has had a measure of success by professional groups recording his songs. One of the highlights of the closing program of the school is a performance by the Stamps-Baxter Kids under the direction and training of Freddie Edwards.
	Sidney Hicks Sidney Hicks is an outstanding pianist of Southern Gospel convention style playing. His training was under such well-known piano teachers of convention style music such as Sally Stamps of the Stamps Quartet Music Company, and James D. Walbert of the James D. Vaughan Music Company. He attended the Williamson School of Music, and the Cheatham Conservatory of Music. His teaching assignments have been in singing schools for the Stamps Quartet Music Company, the Stamps-Baxter Music Company, the James D. Vaughan Music Company and several public schools in Alabama for many years.
	Stephen Hill Christian, family man, singer, songwriter, guitarist. All of these words describe Stephen Hill. Stephen is most familiar to fans of the popular Gaither Homecoming video series and is now concentration on his solo ministry after years as a session singer. His list of credits range from Dolly Parton, Aaron Tippin, Hank Williams Jr., Don McLean, Mark Lowry, Jake Hess, Ben Speer, Marie Osmond, John Sterns, as well as many others. This versatility and background have served him well in presenting a varied musical palette for his listeners.
	Jane Knight Jane Knight started learning the piano at the age of four and has grown up in Southern Gospel "Convention" style of music, attending singing schools which her father, Charles W. McCoy, taught. Some of her early training on the piano was from such well-known pianists in the "Convention" music circles as Aurelia Parris, Hazel Denson Godbee, and James D. Walbert of the James D. Vaughan Music Company. With the philosophy that you can never stop learning, she more recently has been studying with Tracey Phillips, who is also a member of the Stamps-Baxter faculty. She has taught piano at the Stamps-Baxter School of Music in Nashville for the past eight years.
	Harold Lane Harold Lane holds a Master's Degree in Music Education from Marshall University in Huntington, WV. He sang tenor and arranged for the Speers for twenty-two years. While with the Speers he wrote, "I'm Standing on the Solid Rock," "Touring That City," and "What Sins Are You Talking About?" (with Ben Speer), as well as many others. Harold is the Music Editor for the Ben Speer Music Company Annual Convention Songbook. He has transcribed and typeset projects for Bill Gaither, Squire Parsons, The Spencers, Gold City, The Primitives, The Cathedrals, and other groups and soloists. Harold also sang briefly with Connor Hall and the Homeland Harmony Quartet.
	Gary Martin Gary is from Scottsville, KY. He has a Master's Degree in Music Education; retired from public school director of choral activities for 27 years; church music director for 22 years; veteran singer in Southern Gospel music with The Thomas Quartet, The Kentuckians Quartet, the Regals Quartet and Covenant (formerly The Singing Martins); private music studio with emphasis on teaching piano, voice and guitar. Since 1984 Gary has been involved in teaching "shape-note convention style gospel music" in the following schools: Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music, Texas School of Gospel Music and Ben Speer School of Gospel Music.
	Eugene McCammon Eugene McCammon of Knoxville, TN holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano and a Master of Arts in Humanities from the George Peabody College for Teachers. His musical experience includes public school music teacher, church organist and choir director, songwriter, music editor, music typography, and twenty years experience in summer music schools. He has taught in the Stamps-Baxter School of Music since the beginning of the school.
	Jason Myers Jason Myers joined the faculty of Stamps-Baxter School of Music in 2004 teaching theory and conducting. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia with an emphasis in voice. He is the Minister of Music at Corinth Christian Church in Loganville, Georgia where he leads four worship services each Sunday and conducts the adult choir, three children's choirs, praise band, handbell choir and ensemble. He also plays piano for the church's quartet! He is a published songwriter and is currently working on a book of piano/organ arrangements. He began attending singing schools in 1988 and came to Stamps-Baxter for the first time in 1995 with his brother and sister. The Myers Trio (Jason, his brother Justin & sister Jessica) were selected to sing on the closing program of the school each year that they attended. Jason has been teaching in the Texas Southern Gospel School of Music since 1998, and in the North Georgia School of Gospel Music since 2000. We are excited to now have Jason as one of our faculty members.
	Bruce Northam Bruce Northam did his early studies at the Stamps-Baxter School of Music during the years it was at Murray State University in Murray, KY, studying performance with J. D. Sumner, Ben Speer and Don Butler. Bruce took voice from Steve Hurst, and was added to the staff of the Stamps-Baxter School of Music in 1980. In 1992, Bruce was asked by Ben Speer to fill Steve Hurst's position at the Stamps-Baxter School of Music in Nashville, where he has been since that time. He has also taught at the Blackwood School of Music, The National School of Gospel Music, and the Christian Music Conference. He has also taught performance training at several of these schools.
	Eloise Phillips Eloise Phillips is a native of Roswell, Georgia and has studied piano and theory for many years. She is very skilled at teaching keyboard improvisation and has taught some of the top pianists in the gospel music field. Some of her musical experiences in addition to teaching piano are songwriter, singing and playing for a quartet for over twenty years, 25 years teaching in summer music schools such as Stamps-Baxter School of Music, serving as church organist/pianist at Northside Baptist Church in Roswell, on occasion doing choral arrangements for the choir and serving as drama director where she produces and directs various productions.
	Teri Reid Teri Reid is a third generation family member of the world famous Southern Gospel singing group, The Speer Family. She began playing piano at age five and progressed to being the principle accompanist for her high school music program. She has been a professional entertainer for thirty years. She toured with country music legend Ronnie Milsap, appeared on the Nashville Network, the Phil Donahue Show, the Grand Ole Opry, and was invited to perform for the Department of Defense at a special function in Washington D.C. She is an in demand vocalist and piano player in Nashville, widely known for her ability to perform in a variety of settings, bands and musical venues. Teri loves sharing her knowledge at the Ben Speer, Stamps-Baxter School of Music. She is very popular with her students and looks forward to the school year.
	Charles L. Towler A native of Florida, Charles Towler grew up in Athens, GA and graduated from the University of Georgia with a B. S. Ed. Degree. He taught 6 years in public schools in Georgia and South Carolina. In 1965 he was asked to become part of the staff of Tennessee Music and Printing Co., a division of Pathway Press in Cleveland, TN. Over the next 32 years he continued in various positions with the company, including Music Editor and Director of Music, compiling and editing 64 convention songbooks for both Tennessee Music and James D. Vaughn, Music Publisher. More than 300 of his gospel songs and two Christmas musicals have been published. In September 1997 he started his own company, Gospel Heritage Music, and does arranging, music typesetting and publishing. Also he teaches local church music schools throughout the year and is an instructor at several summer music schools, including the Stamps-Baxter school. Since 1968 he has been Minister of Music at various churches and has recently retired after 15 years of service at Waterville Baptist Church in Cleveland, TN.
	Glenn Wilson Glenn Wilson is from Gainesville, Texas and has been a public school and college music instructor for 35 years. He has a Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas. Other accomplishments include songwriting, arranging and pianist for the First Four gospel quartet as well as organist for First United Methodist Church. He teaches in summer gospel music schools in several states. He has taught voice in the Stamps-Baxter school since 1990. He is married with one son, one daughter and four grand-children.