BOBCAT BAND STAFF
Bobcat Band Staff
all instructor
BOBCAT BAND STAFF
Campus: High School
Phone Extension: 4133/4136
Campus: High School
Phone Extension: 4133/4136
Sherri Morgan is the Music Supervisor for Hallsville ISD and Director of Bands. She is the 1970 Salutatorian of Hallsville High School. She earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from SFASU and a Master of Education Degree from SFASU and has been teaching at Hallsville for 50 “Golden” years. Her bands have received numerous awards and recognitions on the state and national level. Sherri has been honored with Teacher of the Month for HISD, the Bobcat Pride Award, the Texas Music Educator All-State Alumni Band, Who’s Who among High School Teachers, and the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award. Sherri and her husband, Keith, have celebrated 48 years of marriage and have four children: Shannon Johnson and her husband Ben; Jason Morgan and his wife Stacy, Jodie Fortis; Laurie Hardy and 13 grandchildren, including Beaux, and Blake Chamberland; and Scarlett & Asher Johnson; Maggie Morgan (the newest) and two great-grandchildren, Cady and Levi Chamberland. Sherri is a collector of baseball cards and 50’s memorabilia and enjoys going to Canton Trade Days, Southern Gospel Music, and spending time with family and friends.
Ty Hood is a graduate of Pittsburg High School in 1996. He received his bachelor of Secondary Music Education with an emphasis on trumpet from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2001. He holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership in Administration (14’) through Lamar University and has completed his principal certification. He is married to Lara Hood (Lovelace), a Hallsville alumna, and has a son, Grant Hood, and a sweet girl named McKenna. He is proud to be the son of Dennis and Patty Hood, who reside in Leesburg, Texas, and is also the son-in-law of Gary and Trisha Lovelace. He and his family are members of the Alpine Church of Christ, where he serves as a worship deacon and sings on the praise team. He is the Associate Director of Bands, directing the HS Wind Ensemble and HS Jazz Band. He serves as the interim junior high head director at the junior high school. He is currently in his 24th year of teaching in Texas as a band director and serves as the Fine Arts Department Chair for Hallsville High School. Ty started as a junior high band director in Jefferson, Texas during his first four years (01’ – 05’) and served as the head high school band director for four years at Elysian Fields ISD (05’ – 09’). Ty has been a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Jazz Educators Association, The Association of Texas Small School Bands, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and the International Trumpet Guild. He performed on national television by playing taps in 2010 at the National Memorial Day parade in Washington, DC. He has also had the opportunity to play trumpet with Mary Wilson, who was a member of the Supremes. He has played with various groups like the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, the Tom Houston Jazz Orchestra, the Sounds of Swing, the Longview Symphony Orchestra, the East Texas Symphonic Band, and various churches around the area. Ty enjoys music, camping, cooking, kayaking, fishing, and hanging out with neighbors, friends, and family.
Jerry Wayne Smith is a native of Upshur County. His undergraduate and graduate studies were at Kilgore College and Stephen F. Austin University. Mr. Smith holds an Associate of Music Degree from Kilgore College, a Bachelor of Music Degree from Stephen F. Austin University, and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from Stephen F. Austin University. Mr. Smith was Director of Bands at White Oak ISD for 20 years before moving to Kilgore College as Director of Bands for 10 years. Under his baton at White Oak, Mr. Smith’s Wind Ensemble earned 17 UIL Sweepstakes awards, numerous Region Honor Band awards, and was a 3A State Winner for Outstanding Concert Performance by ATSSB. Before moving from Hallsville Junior High to Assistant Director of Bands at Hallsville High School, his HJH Wind Ensemble earned the TMEA Region Honor Band Award. Mr. Smith is a former Longview Symphony League President and serves on the Longview Symphony Foundation Board and the Longview Symphony Board of Directors. Mr. Smith and his wife, Romauld, have been married for 47 years and live on ancestral family lands in Union Grove. Wayne’s wife, Romauld (Rome), is a Fine Arts teacher at Ore City Elementary school, a veteran teacher of 45 years. His, son, John Paul Smith, resides in Brooklyn, New York, where he is a freelance theatrical writer and Associate Professor of Latin American Theater at Bard College, New York. His daughter, Sarah Deaton, lives in Union Grove, mother of two sons, and works freelance in the local music industry.
Ashley Madewell is the secretary of Bands. She is a 2005 graduate of Marshall High School, where she played flute in the band and a majorette. She has had the honor of judging for several Junior High and High School Auxiliary tryouts. Ashley and her husba nd of 18 years, Timothy have 3 children that are in the Hallsville family. Faith is a 9th grader, majorette and clarinet player in the HHS band, Taylor is a 6th grader in the Beginner Band and Kayden is 3rd grade. She enjoys reading, loves everything mus ic, spending time with her family, and all things related to the beach.
Rami Purdum is in his second year at Hallsville ISD. He is married to Anna Purdum who is a minister and also teaches music at First Christian Prep School. He is the father of three children. Lily who is an aircraft pilot, Carolyn who is an award winning film producer and Israel who is an aspiring electri cal engineer and, of course, all are musicians. He is a 2001 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University. He has been in music education for 22 years and was the head of the Harmony band program for 18 years which has received numerous awards at regi onal, area and state levels. In addition to teaching, Mr. Purdum also enjoys vehicle maintenance, restoration, RVing and bus conversion.
Keaton Box serves as an assistant director and the percussion director for Hallsville ISD. He graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in percussion performance and also received his master’s in percussion performance from Southern Methodist University. After attending university, he traveled to Los Angeles to get a certificate in film scoring from UCLA. He has been fortunate to play in some of the world’s most prestigious ensembles, including the University of Texas wind ensemble. He has compose d music for multiple short and feature films. If he’s not teaching or practicing, he enjoys lifting weights, watching movies, and spending time with his animals and loved ones
Jennifer Puckett is an assistant band director and 6th-grade band coordinator. She graduated from Hallsville High School (class of 93), where she played the flute and piccolo and was a majorette and drum major in the Bobcat band. Jennifer was also a 3-year, All-State band and orchestra member. She was chosen as a member of the All-American band that performed for the grand opening of EuroDisney. She graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor of music education degree. While teaching brings her much joy, performing as part of an ensemble for an audience is very satisfying as well. She has been a member of several professional ensembles, including the East Texas Symphony, Longview, and Marshall Symphonies, and a local community band, East Texas Symphonic Band. Jennifer is beginning her seventeenth year in HISD. Jennifer has four children: Reagen, Brock, Dane, and Kiran. She is a member of Mobberly Baptist Church. She enjoys playing the flute and piccolo, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Chris Crawford has spent 13 years as a junior high and assistant high school band director and 17 years helping with the bands each of these years during his time at Hallsville. Before that, he was a band director in several East Texas schools and earned many First Division and Sweepstakes awards, Region Honor Band, and placed in the State Honor Band competition. Mr. Crawford is also a Certified Band Instrument Repair Technician, having earned that certification after 13 months of study at Badger State Repair in Elkhart, Wisconsin. A graduate of Longview High School, he attended Kilgore College, graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education from East Texas State University (now A&M Commerce) and a Masters of Arts in Music from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is married to Susan, a retired elementary music teacher, pianist, and organist, and he is the father of Jesse Crawford. They attend church at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Kilgore, where Mr. Crawford is the Director of Traditional Worship, leading singing, the choir, and handbells. He enjoys hobbies such as ham radio and photography in his spare time.
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Michael Turpin was salutatorian of Briarcrest High School in 1975. Playing tenor saxophone, he was a two-year member of the Tennessee All-state band and a member of the McDonald’s All-American High School Band in 1974/75. Michael graduated summa cum laude from Lamar University in 1979 with a major in music education. Michael graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Master of Music Education degree in 1981. While at USC, he was a graduate assistant, teaching university saxophone students and high school students in the University Preparatory Program. After teaching middle school and high school band in Gladewater from 1981 to 1984, Michael was hired by Kilgore College as assistant band director and woodwinds instructor. During his 38-year tenure at Kilgore College, he also served as Director of Counseling, VP of Institutional Planning, and VP of Instruction. In addition to his Texas music certification, he is a certified school counselor. In 2003, he received his Ph.D. in training and development from Texas A&M University. Dr. Turpin has many students who have won positions in all-region and all-state bands, received first-division ratings at region and state solo-ensemble contests, and served as music teachers to a new generation of band students. He has been married to his wife, Terry, a former teacher and preschool/children’s minister, since 1980. Their two sons are graduates of Texas Tech University and live in the Dallas area: Zach, his wife, Kim, and son, Samuel; and Philip and his wife, Maya. Dr. Turpin is proud to be a part-time assistant band director and woodwinds teacher for the Roarin’ Band from Bobcat Land!
Rhett Pilcher came to Hallsville ISD after eight years at Gladewater ISD, where he built the middle school program into a sweepstakes program. Rhett, graduated from East Texas Baptist University with a Bachelor of Music in Education and Kilgore College with an Associate of Arts. He has earned many awards throughout his career, including two Superintendent Star Awards from Tenaha ISD, and was a TAP recipient for high-achieving teachers at Gladewater ISD. Rhett grew up in White Oak and is married. His wife, Nicole, grew up in Gladewater and teaches third grade at Pine Tree ISD. They are expecting their first child on Saint Patrick’s Day of 2025.
Shannon Johnson is the Hallsville HS & JH Auxiliary Line Director and Choreographer. She is a 1997 graduate of Hallsville High School, where she served as Drum Major and Majorette for the Bobcat Band. Shannon has instructed and choreographed for Majorett e and Flag Lines throughout East Texas, including Pine Tree ISD, Spring Hill ISD, Union Grove ISD, Van ISD, and East Texas Baptist University. Shannon has had the honor of judging for several UIL Twirling Contests and numerous Junior High, High School, and Collegiate Auxiliary Line tryouts. Shannon and her husband Ben have four children: Beaux Chamberland, a 2017 Hallsville HS graduate who is currently serving our country overseas in the United States Marine Corps; Blake Chamberland, a 2020 Hallsville HS graduate and a senior at SFA; Scarlett Johnson, an 11th grader at Hallsville HS and member of the Bobcat Belles; and Asher Johnson, a 9th grader at Hallsville HS who plays football and baseball and is a member of the HHS Drumline. Shannon and Ben also have two grandchildren, Caydence & Levi. This is Shannon’s 22nd year as the Hallsville Auxiliary Line Choreographer and Director.