One O'Clock Lab Band - Directors

Directors

• 1924–1927: James Willis Smith (1875–1937), professor of mathematics from 1908 to 1927, founded the "college band."
• 1927–1947: Floyd Graham founded several musical groups, including The Aces of Collegeland, a pit orchestra for silent films, and stage bands for weekly variety shows – none of these musical groups were ever offered for college credit.
• 1946–1947: Charles Holton Meeks (1922–1976), grad student, fill-in for Gene Hall.
• 1947–1959: Gene Hall conceived and founded jazz education leading to a degree at a university and was the Lab Band's first director.
• 1949–1950: Claude R. Lakey, a saxophonist and student at North Texas (graduated 1950), by invitation of Gene Hall, conducted what then was the Two O'Clock Laboratory Dance Band (the forerunner to the One O'Clock). Before attending North Texas, Lakey had been a member of the Gene Krupa, Harry James (5 years, 7 movies, numerous recordings) Benny Goodman, and Glenn Miller Orchestras.
• 1959–1981: Leon Breeden chaired the Jazz Studies Division and directed the One O'Clock for twenty-two years.
• 1981–2008: Neil Slater, the band's third full-time director, led the band for twenty-seven years, becoming its longest tenured director.
• 2008–present: Steve Wiest became the One O'Clock's fourth director March 2009, after having served as interim director the year prior.