MTSU Band of Blue Alumni Club

Mark is a 26 year resident of Franklin and is married to the former Daphne Luttrell from Tullahoma (Daphne was also a member of the Band of Blue).  Mark and Daphne have two daughters, McKenzie and Madison. In his spare time, he enjoys collecting coins and sports memorabilia and is a member of the Williamson County Master Gardeners Association. Mark entered MTSU in the fall of 1980 as a trumpet player from Savannah, TN. Mark ultimately became a 3 time graduate of MTSU, earning the Bachelors degree in Music Education, the Masters in Educational Leadership and the Educational Spec ialists degree with an emphasis in administration and supervision. Mark Garey is a true Blue Raider!

In August 1984, Mark Garey became the assistant band director at Franklin Jr. High School in Franklin, TN. His duties included teaching band and general music in Grades 6-9. In 1989, Mark assumed the leadership role of the FJH Band, one of the largest band programs in TN averaging over 350 students per year.

Under Mark’s leadership, the Freedom Middle School Band has received numerous honors and awards:

-The FMS Band  is a nine-time recipient of the TN Bandmasters Association Sweepstakes award;

-143 students have earned All-Mid State Band honors since its inception seven years ago and has placed 91 students in the Williamson County Middle School Honor Band

- The band program is a 20 year participant in the MTSBOA Concert Festival earning consistent superior/excellent ratings in concert and sight reading.

- The Freedom Band also performed at the 2000 TMEA state conference and 

has appeared the past four years at the TN State Concert Festival.

In the fall of 1993, Franklin Jr. High School became Freedom Middle School, where Mark has directed the band program for the past 17 years, and has kept the band very busy maintaining an active role in the school and community.

During his 26 years with both the Franklin and Centennial High School Bands, there have been many highlights. The marching bands have been finalists at the Contest of Champions 13 times, and in 2002 and 2003, Centennial was named Class AA Champions. Mark traveled with these marching bands as they performed throughout the county in many of America’s major parades including; (2) Fiesta Bowl Parades in Tempe, Arizona; (2) Orange Bowl parades in Miami, FL.; the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York; and the grand-daddy of them all, The Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Ca;

Mark has been an active clinician and adjudicator for marching band competitions; concert band festivals and solo and ensemble events throughout the southeastern region.

Philip resides in Murfreesboro with his wife Brenda, choir director at Siegel High School (and also a member of the Band of Blue Hall of Fame), and his dog Sophie.

Philip, a percussionist, graduated from the Franklin County High School Band in Winchester, TN and in 1984, entered the MTSU Band of Blue as an undergraduate music education major.  Philip participated in marching band, concert band, wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, the “Blues Crusade” jazz ensemble and regularly performed with the choral music department and trombone choir as percussionist. He served as an officer and section leader in the band and received the percussion award for the Band of Blue his senior year.  He has also served on the executive board of the Band of Blue Alumni Club twice since graduation. While in college, Philip played professionally for the Opryland USA theme park.

Philip also performed with the Tennessee Valley Winds which included a performance at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, IL as well as a performance in London, England. 

Upon graduation from MTSU in 1988, Philip began his teaching career in Grundy County, TN where he accepted the position as band director for the entire county including six elementary schools and the high school.  He started to band program in Grundy County and remained there for three years. During his tenure, the band program grew from nothing to

approximately 130 middle school students and a 60 member high school band.

Philip then moved to Hillwood High School in Nashville where he taught for eleven years.   While at Hillwood, the band more than doubled in size and Philip started a jazz ensemble, jazz improvisation class and a commercial songwriting class.  His marching bands, concert bands and jazz ensembles at Hillwood regularly received superior and excellent ratings at festivals and contests.   He was elected “Teacher of the Year” at Hillwood his final year.   Philip also took a year sabbatical while at Hillwood and received a Master of Arts degree with a specialization in conducting from Middle Tennessee State University. During this, his second tenure at MTSU, he served as a graduate assistant in band and was awarded Outstanding Graduate Student in Music. 

Philip currently serves as co-director of the Siegel Middle School Band in Murfreesboro.  Since he began his tenure at Siegel Middle in 2002, the concert band has received superior ratings at regional and state festivals as well as receiving superior ratings at “The Festivals of Music Competition” in Louisville, Kentucky.  He also started a jazz ensemble at Siegel Middle which has also received several superior ratings at festivals, performed at the Tennessee Music Educators Association convention twice, and recorded four CD’s in collaboration with MTSU’s recording industry department. The band program also includes a 120 member football pep band and a 40 member basketball pep band.

Mr. Gregory is in demand as a band and percussion adjudicator throughout the

Southeast. He has also written percussion ensemble arrangements for Row-Loff

Productions in Nashville.   His professional memberships include TMEA, Phi Beta Mu, and MTSBOA, where he has served on the executive committee, Philip is also a Past - President of the Middle Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association.