Born in Anderson, Indiana (1946), Ron McGranahan graduated from Anderson High School in 1964. He attended the Jordan College of Music, Butler University (Indianapolis) on a music scholarship for four years and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha national social fraternity; Phi Mu Alpha, national music honorary fraternity; and Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary marching band fraternity. He was also the drum major of the Butler University Marching Band for three years, under the Direction of Michael "Mike" Leckrone, former Director of Bands, Butler University and also at the University of Wisconsin.

During his college years at Butler, Ron began his professional music career as a trumpet player in 1967 while playing for "Starlight Musicals" (national touring companies) and "Footlight Musicals" in Indianapolis. A professional brass clinician as well, he also was a marching band clinician and consultant, as well as an instructor for various high school bands at the Smith-Walbridge band and drum major camps in Northern Indiana, and later on in Maryland and Florida.

He first studied trumpet under Eugene Slick, former member of the John Philip Sousa Band; Mr. Delbert Dale, of the Tokyo Symphony and Butler University; Mike Leckrone, former Director of Bands, University of Wisconsin, and studied conducting with Mr. Richard Dennis, former concertmaster with the Henry Mancini Orchestra, Los Angeles, CA.

After joining the US Navy Music Program in 1968, Ron retired from the United States Navy Music Program in 1993 after 25 years of active duty service. During his Navy career, Mr. McGranahan was a member of several US Navy Bands stationed in Norfolk, VA, Newport, RI, the United States Naval Academy Band, Annapolis, MD, the NATO Band, Naples, Italy, and Naval Station Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA, where he was Director of "Navy Show Band West" in 1987-88.

During his tenure as an Instructor at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, he was the Director of the Brigade of Midshipmen Drum & Bugle Corps (145 members), and the Midshipmen Jazz Band (22 members). He arranged all music, designed and supervised all drills and half-time shows for all Naval Academy football games. He initiated national exposure for the Corps by performing at several professional football games including the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Colts. Invitations to appear in major national parades in which the Corps accepted were: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NY, NY; Gimble's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Philadelphia, PA; several Mardi Gras Parades, New Orleans, LA; and two Presidential Inaugural Parades, Washington, DC.

United States Naval Acedemy Brigade of Midshipmen Drum & Bugle Corps

He was a member of the United States Naval Academy Band, 1970-1980 (90 members), and participated in the first US Navy Rock Band "Tidal Wave," which toured the entire east coast and Midwest (1970-72) performing concerts in high schools and colleges for Navy Recruiting. He was a member of the concert band, the jazz band "The Next Wave," and also the marching band for ten years.

While performing for audiences throughout Europe as a US Navy Musician in the NATO Band, Naples, Italy, the NATO Band (consisting of musicians from the US, UK, Italy, Greece and Turkey) he performed on numerous occasions for national and international music festivals and concerts, Italian National Television (RAI), represented the Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe Command at NATO, and represented the United States Ambassador to Italy in Rome. Mr. McGranahan was also a guest conductor for the "Concert Of Nations" yearly Military Band Festival held in Kiel, Germany, and was the Director of the NATO Showband (Jazzband), 1980-81.

     

Mr. McGranahan holds a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Music Education from Ball State University (1985), Muncie, Indiana, and also a Master's Degree in Human Resource Management and Development from the College of Business, Chapman University (1993), Orange, California. While attending Ball State (1983-85), he was a member of the Dean's Honor List for six straight semesters, and a member of the Golden Key National Scholastic Honor Society. He was also the Instrumental Director of the Ball State University Singers (1984-85), and the drill designer for the University Marching Band.

After graduating in 1985, he became a high school Band Director at Monroe Central High School, Parker City, Indiana, and also at Muncie Southside High School, Muncie, Indiana (1985-1986).From 1998 - 2002, Mr. McGranahan left his musical pursuits and taught English (Honors, and Gifted Talented), Humanities, and SAT Preparatory courses at Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Florida.

Mr. McGranahan has appeared by invitation as a guest musical artist at the Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, California (1989), as well as the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, Santa Cruz, California (1988), and the Pacific Coast Jazz Festival, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California (1990).

Barbara holds a B.S., Nursing, from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, as well as a B.S. in Secondary Education, English, from Ball State University.  She was a pharmaceutical sales representative for the UpJohn Company in Albany, New York, and was associated with Olsten Corporation's Kimberly Quality Care Division of Home Health care as a Quality Manager, Western Division, San Ramon, CA for twelve years.  She recently acquired her certification as a Health Fitness Instructor SM, from the American College of Sports Medicine at the Cooper Institute, Dallas, Texas.

Currently Barbara is the Rehabilitation Liason for The New England Rehabilitation Hospital at the Maine Medical Center, also in Portland, Maine.

In addition to her current responsibilities as co-owner of the Freeport Clipper Inn B&B in Freeport, Maine, she owns her own personal chefing business "Everyday Gourmet," and is a licensed personal chef through the United States Personal Chef Association. She also is a certified Personal Trainer at the Women's Fitness Health center in Brunswick, Maine, and a certified Excel Nordic Walking Guide and Instructor with L.L. Bean, Freeport, Maine.

Left - Ron & Barb July, 1963