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This
is where it all started. I was born on October 17,
1959 at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville,
Tennessee, the second son of Jane C. and Charles G.
Hosay, seen above in this photo taken at their 50th
wedding anniversary. My mom was a public school teacher
and later a school administrator. My dad participated
in the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville while attending
Seminary at Vanderbilt Divinity School. He went on
to become an ordained Minister and later became a
housing counselor for the City of Norfolk. |
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| I
have always loved the ocean! Here I am at Virginia Beach
with my Grand Dad. I was about 8 or 9. Just like then,
I'd rather be at the beach than anywhere else. This photo
was taken at about the time in my life when I was getting
involved in music. I started playing trumpet in 6th grade
and began arranging music when I was 13. Two years later
I wrote my first composition, and twenty years after that
I landed my first publication. It was sort of like catching
that first fish - the basket stated filling up after that.
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I
grew up in south-eastern Virginia with my brothers Andy
and John (pictured above). We lived in a nice middle-class
neighborhood in Norfolk called Colonial Place. We went
to public schools right in the middle of integration.
Thousands of people left the city and moved to the suburbs
to escape the situation. But our family stayed and we
were part of something wonderful. Every now and then we
liked to get out to the country and go fishing. This picture
was taken at a pond on a friend's farm in central Virginia.
We caught a lot of fish that day. |
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high school I joined the U.S. Army as a trumpet player.
I graduated from the U.S. Armed Forces School Of Music
and went to my first assignment with the 26th U.S. Army
Band at Fort Hamilton, NY. About a year after that I landed
a job as Music Copyist for the U.S. Army Band (Pershing's
Own) in Washington, DC. That got my foot in the door and
allowed me to work towards my ultimate goal of becoming
an Arranger for the U.S. Army Band. Well I guess my prayers
were heard, because here I am in 1997 talking to the U.S.
Army Chief of Staff (look at all those stars!) as a Staff
Arranger/Composer for the U.S. Army Band. That's my commander,
Col. L. Bryan Shelburne in the middle. That's the back
of my dad's head to the left of the General. This photo
was taken at the reception following the U.S. Army Band's
75th anniversary concert, for which I composed the opening
fanfare. |
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Here
I am at the beach again! (out of uniform!) That's me in
the middle, flanked by brothers John on the left and Andy
on the right. We decided to take a little trip down to
Miami to soak up some rays. We're still looking a bit
peaked, though! |
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| After
publishing two pieces as a freelance composer, I signed
an exclusive contract with CURNOW MUSIC PRESS. Here I
am at the CMP booth at the Midwest Band And Orchestra
Clinic in Chicago. |
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After
signing with Curnow Music Press, many doors started opening
for me. Here I am on one of my many conducting engagements.
That's my best Army buddy, Henry Fiske, who was my guest
Soloist for this concert in southern California. |
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| Here
I am conducting the National Anthem with the Washington
Redskins Marching Band before a game against the Miami
Dolphins. I think the Redskins lost that game. Oh well! |
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Now
that's the look of someone who has just completed 20
years of service to his country and now gets to look
forward to enjoying the benefits of military retirement.
Ahhhhh! |
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| Well,
I would have to say that life has been very good to me.
And the best thing about my life is my wonderful family.
That's my dad to my left, and my son James Alexander to
my right, who is holding my grandson James Ethan. James
also has two other sons, Aaron Michael and Cameron Jordan.
My son joined the Army a few months before I retired.
He went in as a Guitar player, but now he repairs medical
equipment and jumps out of airplanes - Holy Cow! I'll
stick to writing music, thank you! |
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This
is my daughter, Lisa. She graduated from Virginia Tech
University and went into Real Estate. Now she has a great
job with a corporate recruiting firm in Northern Virginia.
She is the most wonderful daughter a father could have! |
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| This
is my girlfriend, Laura Kelley, sitting with me on the
porch of her house in Virginia Beach. She's "the
bestest girlfriend ever!" and has made the past 5
years of my life very special! |
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And
here we are all together - me and all (well, most)
of the people who are special in my life. I was
really missing my daughter on this special day,
but I was so glad that my son and daughter- in-law
and grandson were there. |
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