Reggie was raised in Gretna, La. on the Westbank of New Orleans. After several years of piano lessons,
he started playing trumpet in fifth grade when a personal friend of the family introduced him to the
sound of the instrument and the horn section of the legendary group Chicago. Reggie’s trumpet playing
really took off when he went to high school at Archbishop Shaw in Marrero, La. He joined the Shaw
Eagle Marching Band, concert band and jazz band. He performed with the marching band in Mexico City
and Washington D.C where he soloed on the steps of the U.S. Capitol for the Louisiana Congressional
delegation. While in high school, Reggie was selected to play in the stage band for the Immaculata High
School Guitar Group which later became the stage performing ensemble called ‘Celebration!’. While in
Celebration! He performed at the 1984 Louisiana World’s Fair. During his time in The Immaculate Guitar
Group and Celebration! he performed on the recording of several albums.
After high school, Reggie attended LSU to major in Management and Marketing. While at LSU he
marched in the LSU Golden Band From Tigerland, played in the LSU Symphonic Band, Jazz Band and the
Basketball Pep Band. Since college, he has performed in various small ensembles such as The Village
Church Lutheran Chamber Winds and the praise band at First Baptist Church of Slidell with an occasional
visit at Zoar Baptist Church. He also performed regularly with the cover band Carbon Copy and is part of a
Jazz Trio, Third Degree Smooth, with Steve Fergerson and Dane Arnold.
Reggie and his wife Melinda reside in Mandeville, La. and have two sons, Ryan and Connor, a daughter-
in-law, Lauryn (all three are trumpet players) and a grand-daughter, Willa (a future trumpet player).
