South Plains College was in full swing for the Creative Arts 50th Anniversary Celebration, held on Oct. 30 – Nov. 1.
Creative arts alumni from all over the world hit the stages in Levelland and Lubbock and made it a good weekend to hear good music and celebrate 50 years of memories and history, as well as bring alumni and students together to showcase history.
The South Plains College (SPC) music program began in 1975 as a commercial music program focused on country, rock, and folk music, initiated by Dean Nathan Tubb and President Marvin L. Baker, The program has produced many successful alumni, including Grammy award winners and performers such as Josh Abbott, Lee-Ann Womack, and Waylon Jennings (who had some association with the program).
The event kicked off at the Songbird Café with check-in, event information and alumni registration.
The first Thursday session featured the history of creative arts storytelling and Cary C. Banks, Stuart Moody and Ed March at the Tom T. Hall Studio, followed by session two with a video panel discussion featuring Pat McCutchin, Tom Stalcup, Greg Cook and John Sparks, as well as a studio console demo. The day continued with live sound acoustic sound labs, technical arts, vocal teaching and other topics before the evening concert on the main stage.
Various sessions and performances continued through Friday along with a Trunk-Or- Treat sponsored by the Levelland Main Street Program and Levelland Noon Lions Club.
Saturday closed out the event with reunion concerts that included a songwriters showcase, along with praise, jazz, touring, bluegrass, western swing honoring Joe Carr, Country Jukebox Ensemble honoring Rusty Hudelson, Thursday Nite Live reunion, Country Caravan and the faculty and alumni finale.
The SPC music program from early on became known for its touring groups that performed nationally and has since expanded its offerings, which now include a partnership with Texas Tech University for a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Commercial Music.
SPC expanded the faculty and subject base to train students in commercial music, recording arts, live sound and performance venue technology and the music business, all which interrelate in the modern business marketplace, and a model continues to inform the adaptation of programs in the current “Creative Arts Department.”
The 1980’s brought wider recognition of the program, and enabled SPC relationships with nationally known artists. The long friendship with Tom T. Hall resulted in the large performance venue being named in his honor. Today, the “Tom T. Hall Production Center” houses a large stage, advanced digital lighting technology, recording studio, television studio, and sophisticated live sound teaching/performance space! With all these sectors of the music/entertainment industry in one performance space, students can most clearly see the interconnectedness of jobs.
The fruits of the early days produced many Grammy Winners, session players, band members, business executives, songwriters, and technologists who claim SPC as the start of their career. What began as a small program has grown to one of excellence.