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Gary
McCoy, alto saxophone
Gary joined the DCJB as lead alto sax in 2005 after subbing in the
sax section for several years. He holds a bachelor's degree in music education
from the University of Tulsa, where he played alto sax in the school's
lab band and clarinet in both symphonic band and orchestra. He was first
chair alto sax in the Kappa Kappa Psi National Intercollegiate College
Band during his senior year, and also gigged around town as a member of
Tulsa's musician's union. Gary later played in Psalm 150, a band similar
to the DCJB in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to the DCJB, Gary currently
plays clarinet in the orchestra at First Baptist Church of Plano. He has
an MBA from St. Louis University and has worked in technical sales for
SBC Communications since 1974. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and
an occasional game of tennis.
Tanya
Benson, flute
Tanya is a speech-language pathologist, both for
the Garland School District and in private practice. She also serves Texas
Woman's University in Denton as an adjunct professor supervising graduate
students, and is active in many speech pathology associations. She holds
a bachelor's degree from Dallas' Southern Methodist University and a master's
degree from North Texas State University in Denton. Tanya was active in
band at Bryan Adams High School in Dallas; her director was David Pittman,
who would later be a fellow DCJB member. Highlights of this period include
NFL halftime performances and membership in Dallas' All-City Marching
Band. Tanya has also played in the Bravura Wind Ensemble and the Casa
View Baptist Church Orchestra. She currently plays in the Wilshire Winds
at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. Tanya serves the DCJB as secretary/treasurer.
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Chris
Evetts, tenor saxophone
Chris joined the DCJB in 2005, bringing wide-ranging musical
experience to the band. He has toured with both the Glenn Miller Orchestra
(1999-2000) and Barney the Dinosaur (1997), formed and led his own band,
Mack Mallone and the Swing Machine (1998), and played with the Swingtime
and Celebration Orchestras in the Dallas area. He has traveled extensively
and appeared onstage with Rich Matteson, John Fedchock, Patrick Williams,
Marv Stamm, Onzy Matthews, Larry O'Brian and Leon Breeden. After earning
a B.S. in radio-TV-film from Texas Christian University (Fort Worth),
Chris was selected as a Rotary Amassadorial Scholar and traveled to England
to earn a master's degree in popular music from the University of Liverpool.
He earned teacher certification from Texas A&M UniversityCommerce
in 2003, and has been a band director at Clarksville High School (his alma mater) and
Frisco's
Pioneer Heritage Middle School. In 2006, Chris became an assistant band director at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, where he leads the jazz program. In his spare time he enjoys arranging music for concert, marching
and jazz bands, and occasionally directs the choir at his hometown Presbyterian
Church.
Lynn
Denson, baritone saxophone
Lynn is a Quality Assurance Manager in the Fountain
Division of the Coca-Cola Company, and holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry
from the University of Texas at Arlington. He has played in a variety
of Dallas-area musical groups, including the ROTC Band at UT-Arlington,
the Golden-Eras big band, Destiny (a Christian gospel and rock band),
and both the Eastfield and Town North Community Bands. In addition to
the DCJB, Lynn plays in the Heritage Brass Band and the orchestra at Mimosa
Lane Baptist Church in Mesquite, where he is a member. Along with his
musical pursuits, Lynn spends quite a bit of time raising guide dogs for
the blind.
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