About Us

Meet the KMS Director and Associates

Mark Bowling

Director of Bands, Karns Middle School

Mr. Bowling is a twenty-four-year veteran of music education and is in his 8th year at Karns Middle. During his career, Mr. Bowling has had the pleasure of leading instrumental ensembles at every grade level in Tennessee, Georgia, and Connecticut.  Mr. Bowling is a 2018 recipient of the National Band Association’s “Citation of Excellence” for his work in instrumental music.  In 2004, Mr. Bowling received the Thomaston-Upson Manufacturers Roundtable “Teacher of Excellence” award for his work with students at Upson-Lee Middle School.

Mr. Bowling received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he studied conducting with WJ Julian, trombone with Don Hough, and jazz with Donald Brown and Bill Scarlet.  In 2003, Mr. Bowling completed his graduate studies at the University of Georgia in Athens under the guidance of Dr. David Romines and Dr. John Culvahouse.

Mr. Bowling’s professional performance credits include the Take Note Big Band, The Cobb Wind Symphony, The Thomaston Brass Quintet, The Danbury Symphony, The Danbury Community Orchestra, The Danbury Brass Band, The Danbury Trombone Outfit, The Knoxville Wind Symphony, The Knoxville Opera, and the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps.

Mr. Bowling is a national clinician and adjudicator, most recently serving as a guest conductor with the combined wind ensembles of Marywood University and Westchester University during their performance tour in China.  He has also served as a guest lecturer and clinician at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania for the Junior and Senior “Wind Band Celebrations”   He currently lives in Louisville, Tennessee with his wife Karen and his mother, Judy.


Jimbo Crawford

Director of Bands, Karns High School


Landon Brady

Assistant Director of Bands, Karns High School

Landon Brady has been an Assistant Band Director at Karns High School in Knoxville, TN since 2022. He was the head band director at Union County High School from 2018-2022. He graduated from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Music – Music Education Degree in December of 2017, where he marched in the Pride of the Southland Marching Band for 5 years. He marched one season with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2014, playing euphonium.

Landon was born outside of Memphis, TN and now resides in Jefferson City, TN with his beautiful wife Mansi and their cat named Bird. His primary instrument is the trombone. When he is not band directing, he loves to travel the country, golf as often as he can, and coach youth sports at his church.


Nat Gallagher

Assistant Director of Bands, Karns High School


Section Instructors

David Smelser

Percussion/Percussion Ensemble

  • Spirit of Atlanta 1989, 90, and 92.  Bass drum and then Snare.
  • 1992 and 1993 University of Tennessee, Pride of the Southland, and concert bands.  Taught/Wrote for Percussion and Colorguards in the area.
  • While in the Atlanta area, served as percussion, colorguard, and visual instructors/choreographer as well as one semester as a community coach titled Assistant Band Director before moving to Louisiana.
  • While living in Louisiana, adjududicated indoor percussion (Visual) and winter guard (Equipment).
  • Former President of the Spirit of Atlanta Alumni Association; current Board member.
  • Currently, instructional staff at Hardin Valley Academy band programs under the direction of Alex Rector.
  • I live within the community and have two sons.  One in the Karns Middle School band program.

Rebecca Veach

Winterguard

Hello, my name is Rebecca Veach and I am the Karns Middle School Winterguard instructor. This is my fourth year teaching, and my eleventh year doing guard. I have been guard since I was in 6th grade, and I started off in the Karns Middle School Winterguard, so this program is very special to me. I continued into high school at Karns High School, and even went on to be in the Pride of the Southland Colorguard where I was squad leader my senior year. In total, I have 16 seasons worth of experience.  I love teaching and very passionate about guard! My goal as an instructor is to help students learn all the technicalities of guard, as well as learning how to perform and express themselves. I also want to help students grow into the best version of themselves, and be able to accomplish anything they set their hearts and minds to!


Kirsten Benesh

Winterguard


Jacob Noel

Section Instructor

Jacob is from Knoxville, TN and is currently studying Music Education at the University of Tennessee. After college, Jacob hopes to continue studying music for his masters’ in trombone performance.


David Johnson

Section Instructor