Buddy played trombone nearly all his life and founded the jazz programs at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. He was a much celebrated and popular teacher, clinician and judicator.
A more detailed account of Buddy’s career can be found in his obituary, linked in the above menu.
He retired from teaching in May of 1988.
A story: In the late ‘50s, young Buddy was in a terrible car accident with fellow brass performer David Baker in Indiana. Buddy once described David as “the closest to a brother I ever had.” Because David was black, a nearby hospital refused to treat him and so Buddy had to drive his friend a much greater distance to a non-racist Indiana hospital. The drive took too long and his friend David lost use of his lips and had to drop his brass instrument and switch to cello. David Baker went on to be a celebrated music educator at Indiana University.
Nancy and Buddy Baker 