Excerpted from Duke Today. Read the complete feature.
James “Jim” Donald Henry, the director of Duke Athletic Bands from 1960-1985 and on faculty until 1998, died on Friday, Oct. 20. He was 84 years old.
Henry was hired in 1960 by Duke University to be the marching band director. The band continued to perform field shows at all home football games, and eventually began playing basketball games as well. In 1962 Henry started the first modern-day style basketball pep band east of the Mississippi. Today the Duke Pep Band remains much as it was under Henry’s tenure and is a prominent part of the Duke basketball game experience. In addition to Duke Athletic Bands he taught woodwind classes and directed Hoof-n-Horn. He was the Director of Undergraduate Studies and Assistant Chair of the Music Department for 13 years. He was affectionately known by his students and the Duke community as Coach Henry.
Department of Music