Recipients of the: Legacy Award in Music Education

Dr. Lamar Smith is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, receiving his formal education in the public schools of New Orleans, Louisiana and Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated from George Washington Carver High School in Montgomery, Alabama.

Smith holds the B.S. Degree in Music Education and the Master of Music Education, both from Alabama State University. Smith has earned the Ph.D. Degree, in the fields of Education and Music, from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Other studies were done at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, Northwestern University, Evansville, Illinois, Dennison University, Granville, Ohio as well as at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.

Dr. Smith served as Band Director at South Girard High School and Central High Schools in Phenix City, Alabama. He also taught music courses at Kansas State University and at Albany State University, where he taught at an off campus site in Columbus, Georgia before coming to the main campus in Albany.

Dr. Smith has served as guest performer, conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in the state of Georgia, Alabama, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Louisiana. He also presented lectures to the International Association for Jazz Educators Conferences in a variety of cities, including Dallas, Texas, Daytona Beach, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia.

During his tenure at Kansas State University, Dr. Smith served as administrative assistant for University Minority Affairs and Assistant to the Director of Jazz Bands. As the assistant, Smith also performed as principal soloist. As a member of the Kansas State University Concert "Ja7r" Band, Smith performed throughout the state of Kansas, further participating in the Montreux, Switzerland Jazz Festival, and being selected as a member of the International Jazz Band.

At Albany State University, Dr. Smith became a member of the Albany State University Jazz Quartet and toured throughout the region. He also represented "The Festival of the Arts" in Italy in 1977. Dr. Smith performed at Symphony Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, performed for the Georgia State Legislature and at the Governor's Mansion. He also has performed at functions for the Albany Chamber of Commerce, under the sponsorship of Albany Dougherty day at the Capitol.