Dr. Pugh heads the instrumental music program at Shelton State Community College. He directs the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Combo, as well as teaching private applied brass lessons and music theory. Prior to his time at Shelton State, he spent three years as Instructor of Upper Brass at Stillman College. He maintains a successful studio of private students, teaching middle school, high school, and college-aged players as well as many adult comeback players. Sought after as a pedagogue Dr. Pugh regularly presents masterclasses and clinics at colleges and public schools throughout the southeastern United States. Additionally, he has presented at several conferences including The Trumpet Festival of the Southeast, The American College Trumpet Teacher’s Forum, and the National Association of Collegiate Wind and Percussion Instructors Conference.  Pugh also currently serves as the Orchestra Director at First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa.

 

Equally adept as a performer he regularly performs with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, Theatre Tuscaloosa, The Tuscaloosa Big Band where he plays lead trumpet and serves as Associate Music Director, and the Tuskaloosa Brass Quintet of which he is a founding member. Other performance opportunities have taken him to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Alabama. Internationally Dr. Pugh has performed in Canada, The Bahamas, Brazil, and Greece.

 

Dr. Pugh is honored to have received the National Defense Medal and the Global War on Terror Medal during his time in the U.S. Navy and to have been commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Stephen L. Beshear. He is an active member of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG), Alabama Trumpet Guild (ATG), Jazz Educators Network (JEN), National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI), and College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA).

 

As well as completing the course of study at the Armed Forces School of Music Dr. Pugh earned his B.S. of  University Studies in Music from Morehead State University, his M.M. in Trumpet Performance from Eastern Kentucky University, and his D.M.A. in Trumpet Performance from The University of Alabama. He is an XO Brass artist for KHS America.