On July 22, 2023, Gregory Dick, former band director at Friendswood High School, was installed into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in conjunction with the annual convention of the Texas Bandmasters Association, meeting in San Antonio.
Greg grew up in Lake Jackson, Texas, and was a student of Ernest Clark, Rod Cannon, and Fred McDonald at Brazoswood High School, graduating in 1975.
He attended Sam Houston State University, graduating in 1979, and went to work at McAdams Jr. High in Dickinson, Texas, with Wade McDonald, son of Fred McDonald.
Greg taught in Dickinson ISD for 9 years, teaching band, as well as the drum line in the high school marching band. He moved on to League City Intermediate in Clear Creek ISD as the head director and earned multiple UIL awards.
After four years, Greg was chosen to open Space Center Intermediate School in Clear Lake. In eight years as the head director at Space Center, the band earned UIL Sweepstakes every year and was named Best in Class at festivals in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
The Space Center Band was named Texas Music Educators CCC Honor Band (state champion) twice, and performed at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. The band was awarded the Sudler Cup by the John Philip Sousa Foundation for having an outstanding concert band program.
In 2000, Greg was named the head director at Friendswood High School, where he stayed until he retired in 2020. The Friendswood Band earned consistent UIL Sweepstakes and was named Best in Class at many festivals. The band performed in major cities around the United States.
The Wind Ensemble was named the Texas Music Educators Association 4A Honor Band twice, and performed at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
The band was awarded the Sudler Flag of Honor for having an outstanding concert band program. The Friendswood Marching Band was a consistent UIL State Marching Band Contest participant, qualifying for the finals seven times, earning three Silver Medals.
Greg was honored with many individual awards, including Secondary Teacher of the Year in Clear Creek ISD, the Leadership and Achievement Award from Texas Music Educators Association, the State Sponsor Excellence Award from UIL, the Meritorious Achievement Award from the Texas Bandmasters Association, and was inducted into the American Bandmasters Association.
The Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, an international bandmasters fraternity. To be eligible for consideration, a band director must have produced and maintained an outstanding and consistent band program in the Texas public schools, as well as having enjoyed a long and successful career. Hall of Fame members must be over the age of 65 and retired from active teaching.
The Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame is currently housed in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Since Phi Beta Mu initiated the Hall of Fame in 1975, 352 band directors have been so honored. To view the recipients of this outstanding recognition, go to www.pbmalpha.org and click on Hall of Fame.
