Bang the Drum

Texas State to honor former faculty member, legendary jazz drummer Butch Miles

The Texas State Jazz Department will pay homage to former faculty member and legendary jazz drummer Butch Miles by renaming the Hill Country Jazz Festival in his honor.

“Butch was perhaps most famously a drummer for the Count Basie Orchestra but also played with Dave Brubeck and Mel Torme, among many others,” Dr. Utah Hamrick, Director of Jazz Studies at Texas State, said. “He retired from the road in 2007 and became our drum set instructor until his retirement in 2021. Our jazz festival has been going on for 36 years, but is changing this year to honor Butch.”