In memoriam: John Haynie (1924-2014)

John Haynie, professor emeritus of trumpet at the University of North Texas (Denton), died peacefully at home Tuesday night, September 30, surrounded by his loving family.
John Haynie was born in Ralls, Texas on December 14, 1924. He began playing the cornet at age nine. He was much acclaimed in Texas as a child prodigy, and played in the Cisco High School Band while still in elementary school. He participated in his first Texas All-State Band in 1937, and the guest conductor was the Director of the University of Illinois bands, Mark Hindsley, who would later become John’s father-in-law. When Cisco band director Robert Maddox moved to Mexia, Texas, John’s parents knew any musical talent he had would flourish with Mr. Maddox, and they allowed him to move from Cisco to Mexia to live with the Maddox family. He was named “Who’s Who in Texas High Schools” and was featured on the cover of the 1941 Texas Music Educators convention issue when he was sixteen. He graduated from Mexia High School with honors in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army from May 1943 to November 1945, and he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal in Battle, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theater Medal, and the European Theater Medal with three battle stars. He then continued at the University of Illinois, where he received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and graduated in Spring 1950. It was also there that he met Marilyn Hindsley and they were married in August 1951.

John Haynie taught at the University of North Texas from 1950-1990. His research about the inner workings of the oral cavity when playing the trumpet, with Denton radiology Dr. Alexander Finlay, brought further international recognition During that time he received the ’Fessor Graham Award (1984), which is presented annually to the faculty member voted most outstanding by the North Texas student body. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Illinois School of Music (1991), the International Trumpet Guild Award of Merit (2003), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from The North Texan magazine (2006). In Fall 2006, Cisco High School dedicated its new music facility – the J. J. Haynie Band Hall. In March 2007, he was awarded the Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation by the American Bandmasters Association.

He was the author of two method books: How to Play High Notes, Low Notes, and All Those In Between (New York: Charles Colin, n.d.) and Twelve Study Groups (Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1972); also the author of Inside John Haynie’s Studio: A Master Teacher’s Lessons on Trumpet and Life. (Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 2007). An article celebrating his career, “Portrait of a Teacher: John J. Haynie,” appeared in the June 2008 ITG Journal.

Keith Johnson, recently retired Regents Professor of Music at UNT said this: “John Haynie exemplified all the qualities of dedication, integrity, courage, and loyalty that should be the hallmark of anyone who claims to be a teacher of young people. This man was the stuff of legend, and the effects of his brilliant career will reach far beyond anything we can imagine. To have the privilege of studying and working with him is to have been in the presence of greatness.”

He is survived by his wife Marilyn, daughter Melinda and son-in-law Dave Zeagler, son Mark and daughter-in-law Anne, four grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.

Services will be held on at the First Presbyterian Church in Denton, Texas on October 3 at 3:00. Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church or the John and Marilyn Haynie Endowment Fund, College of Music, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203.

Source: Anne Hardin, former ITG Journal Editor, Greenville, SC