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Gary Billups

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Gary Billups

Class of 1961

Inducted: August 2012

Gary began his musical pursuits by taking piano lessons at age six. His music
interest and talents continued to grow throughout his school years. Gary served as
drum major of the WHS Band and enjoyed playing saxophone while in school.

Gary translated his interest in music to a career in music education. He attended
Morehead State University where he majored in music and earned his master’s
degree in music at Marshall University.

After graduating from Morehead State University, Gary started his teaching career at
Clay High School and retired in 1995 after 30 years. But he did not really retire
because Gary went to Lewis County High School and taught another 12 years. His
passion for teaching music has been continuous since 1965 when he first started
teaching at Boyd County High School. Gary continues to teach as a guest lecturer
at Shawnee State University and Rio Grande University.

His talents have allowed him to perform professionally since the early 1960’s. Gary
has played his beloved tenor saxophone with such groups as the Four Freshmen,
Four Tops, Four Seasons, Franki Valli, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and many
others. He has traveled the country performing in concert competitions with the
Aladdin Temple Shrine Band of Columbus. Ohio.

Gary is an active member of the American Federation of Musicians, Western Sun
Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite of Cincinnati, Aladdin Temple Shrine of Columbus and
the Portsmouth Shrine Club. He is married to Joyce Warner Billups also a 1961
WHS graduate. They have two children, Brian Billups of Burlington, Kentucky and
Sandra Billups Hodnick of Hudson, Ohio. Gary and Joyce are the proud
grandparents of Natalee, Jeffrey, Tyler and Alyssa.

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