Directors

Lafe Cook, Director of Bands

Lafe Cook has been a high school band director for 29 years and is in his 24th year as the Director of the Dobyns-Bennett Band in Kingsport, Tennessee. Mr. Cook is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he was drum major of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and a graduate assistant with the music department. He taught at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia for six years prior to coming to Dobyns-Bennett.

Mr. Cook’s teaching responsibilities at Dobyns-Bennett High School include directing the Wind Symphony, the Marching Band and administering the 380-member band program. He is the Supervisor of Secondary Bands for Kingsport City Schools. He also has served two terms on the board of directors for the Kingsport Ballet and he currently serves the City of Kingsport as a liaison regarding improvements in Kingsport’s arts and entertainment infrastructure and atmosphere through the OneKingsport movement. Mr. Cook is a the past president of the Tennessee Music Education Association. He is the past state chair for the Tennessee Music Education Association, past president of the Tennessee Bandmasters Association, and past president of East Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association. Cook served two terms on the Board of Directors of the National Band Association and currently serves on the Bands of America Advisory Board..

Mr. Cook is a four-time recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence and was honored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation as a Sudler Flag of Honor Laureate. He was named “Aide de Camp” to the Governor of the State of Tennessee in 2005. Mr. Cook was elected into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association in 2008 and at the time was the organization’s youngest member and one of only 35 high school band directors in the 380-member organization. Mr. Cook has been a clinician for state and regional honor bands as well as university honor ensembles in 18 states and has presented at the Midwest Clinic and multiple TMEA Conventions.

Tom Padgett, Associate of Bands

Tom Padgett returns to the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band Program and is excited to once again be part of a community that has played a significant role in his professional journey. With more than 15 years of experience in music education, Mr. Padgett has built a reputation for developing high-achieving programs while fostering a culture centered on student growth, leadership, and excellence. He believes the most meaningful accomplishments in band are not measured by trophies alone, but by the confidence, character, and lifelong memories students gain through their experiences.

Prior to returning to Dobyns-Bennett, Mr. Padgett served as Associate Director of Bands at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, South Carolina, where he helped lead one of the nation’s most successful high school band programs. During his tenure, the program earned multiple Bands of America Regional Championships, state runner-up finishes, and a Bands of America Grand National Semi-Finalist appearance. The concert ensembles consistently received Superior with Distinction ratings and were featured at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference and the University of South Carolina Honor Band.

Mr. Padgett previously served as Associate Director of Bands at Dobyns-Bennett from 2013 to 2016. During that time, the program earned three consecutive Bands of America Regional and Class AAA Championships, appeared as a BOA Grand National Semi-Finalist each year, performed in the Tournament of Roses Parade, was featured at the Tennessee Music Educators Association Conference, and performed at Carnegie Hall. Returning to Dobyns-Bennett is a special opportunity to reconnect with a program that helped shape his career and to contribute to its continued tradition of excellence.

Additional teaching experience includes serving as Director of Bands at White Knoll High School in Lexington, South Carolina, and Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tennessee. Throughout his career, his ensembles have earned recognition at the regional, state, and national levels in both marching and concert performance. He has also served in leadership positions with the South Carolina Band Directors Association, Carolina Winter Ensemble Association, East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, and Carolina Indoor Performance Association.

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Padgett is an active visual designer, clinician, and adjudicator for marching bands, winter guards, and indoor percussion ensembles throughout the Southeast. His instructional experience includes work with Drum Corps International organizations such as Phantom Regiment, Glassmen, and the Madison Scouts.

Mr. Padgett earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University. He is a member of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, and several state and regional professional organizations.

A native of Southwest Virginia, Mr. Padgett is passionate about building meaningful relationships with students and helping them discover their potential through music. He is honored to return to Dobyns-Bennett and looks forward to working alongside students, families, alumni, and staff as the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band Program continues its proud legacy into the future.

Hudson Scott, Assistant Director of Bands

Mr. Hudson Scott is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a native of the Knoxville area. During college, he worked with numerous East Tennessee programs, teaching private lessons and masterclasses, instructing marching bands and indoor percussion ensembles, designing visual programs and drill, and leading leadership workshops. He is currently entering his second year as Assistant Band Director at Dobyns-Bennett High School, where he teaches Concert Band.

Mr. Scott has an extensive background in Drum Corps International as both a performer and educator. He marched with the Crossmen and Carolina Crown, serving as head drum major in his final season. He was a recipient of the 2023 Jim Ott High Brass Award and the 2024 Carolina Crown Director’s Award. He is in his second year as a brass technician with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps, following the corps’ bronze medal finish at the 2025 Drum Corps International World Championship.

Jed Garvey, Color Guard Director

Jed Garvey spent over a decade performing with elite ensembles, and has been an educator in the activity since 2008. Following high school graduation, he spent the next four winter guard seasons performing with Winter Guard International A-Class Finalist Southeast Independent Winter Guard from 2009 to 2012. Jed then went on to perform with WGI Open-Class Finalist Etude Winter Guard in2013, and then with 5-time WGI World Champions Onyx Color Guard in 2014 and 2015. For three summers, Jed Traveled the country performing with Drum Corps International Finalists the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 2009 to 2011. Jed has had the privilege to serve has a designer and choreographer for several well established programs including Spirit of Atlanta, Pacific Crest, The Colts, The Cadets, The Mandarins, Juxtaposition Winter Guard, and Etude Winter Guard.

Jed graduated from East Tennessee State University where he earned his Bachelor’s in Literature and Language. He also has a passion for graphic design, and serves as a graphic artist for the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band.

Daniel Del Moro, Percussion Director

Daniel has been the Percussion Director for Dobyns-Bennett HS/Kingsport City Schools since 2021. AtDobyns-Bennett, he manages the competitive marching band percussion ensemble, showband drumline, three percussion ensembles, steel drum band, indoor percussion, and three concert band percussion sections. He also splits his time during the day between the two feeder middle schools: John Sevier and Ross N. Robinson Middle Schools. Daniel is currently a snare technician for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. He earned a Bachelor of Music from Middle Tennessee State University. While at MTSU, he studied under Lalo Davila, Julie Davila, Dr. Matt Jordan, and Dr. Brian Mueller. Daniel was the Ensemble Coordinator at Audio Theater Percussion (WGI/PIW) from 2017-2020. He has been a visual instructor at the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. Daniel was a Tennessee All-State musician and has performed as a snare drummer in a variety of organizations including the MTSU drumline, Army All-American Marching Band, Music City Drum and Bugle Corps, Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Madison Scouts. His WGI experience includes Palmetto Percussion and Atlanta Quest. Daniel has performed numerous times at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and won the 2016 chamber percussion ensemble competition with the MTSU sextet. Daniel is proud to play Innovative Percussion as an educational artist!

Jeff Upshaw

Jeff Upshaw is a graduate of both Middle Tennessee State University (B.M.) and the University of North Florida (M.M.) in addition to being an alumni of Dobyns-Bennett.

During his career he has won the PASIC Collegiate Percussion Ensemble contest, won a gold medal in WGI with Music City Mystique, and performed with many various large ensembles including the Coastal Symphony of Georgia.

As an audio professional, he has recorded various EP’s for local artists, as well as recording an assortment of concerts for the DB band and maintaining/operating the audio system for their BOA Grand National Finalist marching band.

He also maintains an active private lesson studio and is proud to have students that have gone on to multiple All-State clinic appearances, as well as securing multiple Collegiate scholarships for music.