09/23/2026
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*Traces Of Texas Tech*
Colorized photograph of James "Jim" Sudduth and Jerry Roe in Goin' Band uniforms.
James Claude Sudduth and Jerry Roe were both young musicians involved in the Texas Tech music program in the early 1960s. Sudduth, originally from Crosbyton, Texas, and Roe, from Snyder, were members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and performed together in Texas Tech's stage/jazz ensemble. Sudduth played piano while Roe played string bass.
Both men went on to careers in music education. Roe became a band director, teaching at Shallowater and Whiteface and apparently later serving as a band director at Nimitz High School in Irving. Sudduth first worked in Lubbock ISD before moving into collegiate music, including positions at Northwestern University and Southwest Texas State.
Sudduth ultimately returned to Texas Tech in 1981 as Director of Bands, where he became an influential figure in the university's music program. He composed and arranged more than 300 works and received numerous professional honors. The photograph therefore captures two young Texas Tech musicians who went on to dedicate their careers to music education, with Sudduth eventually becoming one of the notable leaders in Texas Tech's band history.
Courtesy of the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library
