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Director of Bands - Mr. Buddy Huckabee

Mr. Buddy Huckabee is a 1995 graduate of Kings Mountain High School, NC. He attended Western Carolina University and received his bachelor's degree of Music Education in 1999. Mr. Huckabee then taught at York Chester Middle School and Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, NC, before returning to Western Carolina University for his Master's Degree in 2001. He is a proud member of Music Educator's National Conference (MENC), North Carolina Music Educator's Association (NCMEA), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (Omicron Epsilon), Kappa Kappa Psi, and the North Carolina Association for Educators (NCAE).

Mr. Huckabee is an alumnus of the world renowned Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from Fort Mill, SC, and is a past hornline instructor for Forte Drum and Bugle Corps of Burelson, Texas.

While working on obtaining his Master's degree, he accepted the job at Franklin High School (just down the road from WCU) in 2001. Since he has taken charge of the Franklin High School Band, the various ensembles of the band have been awarded many first place, superior, and Grand Championship honors. The band has been named the 2005 Toyota Gator Bowl Silver Division Grand Champions, the 2008 Alamo Bowl Silver Division Grand Champions, the 2012 Gator Bowl Class A Grand Champions, and the 2020 Sugar Bowl - Jackson Square National Champion Band.  In 2015, the band performed with country music recording artist Craig Morgan for the Liberty Bowl Halftime show. In 2020, the band travelled to New Orleans, Louisiana, and participated in the nationally televised Sugar Bowl Parade, and performed the half-time show for over 80,000 spectators, and on ESPN for the Sugar Bowl game in the Mercedez-Benz SuperDome in New Orleans.  Mr. Huckabee is also a Music History professor at Southwestern Community College. He has recently received his Masters in School Administration degree from Garder-Webb University.

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Assistant Director / Colorguard Choreographer and Instructor - Mrs. Jennifer Huckabee

Mrs. Jennifer Huckabee is the current band director at Mountain View Intermediate School (Grades 5-6) in Franklin, NC. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Music with a focus in Music Education from Western Carolina University, and received her Master's degree from Gardner-Webb University. Mrs. Huckabee is an assistant to the director, as well as the past award winning Drum Major Technician. She is now responsible for the Etoile Winterguard Program and the Fall Marching Band Colorguard choreography and instruction. In the past, under her instruction, the Drum Majors of FHS have won many prestigious honors throughout the southeast, including 1st Place honors in the 2012 National Gator Bowl parade and field show competition, and the Alamo Bowl parade and field show competitions in 2008. The Winterguard program took home many 1st place awards in the CWEA circuit and is looking forward to continuing their road to excellence in performances throughout the southeast as they continue this new adventure in the Winterguard circuit.

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Percussion Instructor - Mr. Daniel Ball

Mr. Ball is a graduate of Western Carolina University and a past performer for the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band of WCU, and the Genesis Drum and Bugle corps. Mr. Ball is currently the elementary education teacher for East Franklin and Cartoogechaye Elementary school, as well as the instructor for the FHS Marching Panther Regiment. Mr. Ball is also the instructor for the new "Franklin Indoor Percussion" (FIP) group. In their inaugural year, the indoor percussion ensemble travelled and represented Franklin High School with honor and pride as they continually improved their performances and show - all the way to the CWEA Championships in South Carolina. We are proud of Mr. Ball and what he has been able to achieve at our band program in such a short amount of time.

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Other staff include:

Music Technician - Mr. Joseph Cofer

Music Technician - Mr. Thomas Graham

Music Technician - Mr. Larry Trout

Drum Major Technician - Mr. Cody Lee Keener

Colorguard Assistant - Mrs Tiffany Birchum

Student Teacher - Miss Sophie Kiser - Western Carolina University

Front Ensemble Technician - Mr. Tucker

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