Wes Orr, Trumpet

Lead trumpeter Wes Orr was born in Columbus in 1943 and began playing the trumpet at age ten. He went to Whitehall Yearling High School and played in the school band, but was discouraged by his father, a trumpeter and a singer, to take up music as a career. At age 17, Wes was asked to play a gig with the Johnny Rogers Big Band in Washington Court House. It took some convincing, but finally Wes's father relented and allowed him to play. That gig, paying only $10, was the beginning of Wes's professional career.

After graduation, Wes continued his education at Capital University; to receiving his B.A. in Music Education. During this time he traveled to Philadelphia to study with one of the nation's finest brass instructors, Dr. Donald S. Rhinehart, principal trumpeter for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Wes fondly remembers that Dr. Rhinehart changed his life by altering his trumpet technique. It was also at Capital that he met his future wife Roberta (Bobbi) in the marching band. Shortly after graduating in 1965, they married. Wes then attended Ohio State University where he received his M.A. in Music Education.

Wes taught with Columbus Public Schools for 31 years and part-time with Reynoldsburg City Schools for four years. During this time he was performing around Columbus when Ray Eubanks approached him with the idea to form a big band, encompassing the best players in town. The rest, as they say, is history.

Throughout the years, Wes has played with many wonderful entertainers, including Paul Anka, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Jerry Lewis, Lena Horne, and Rosemary Clooney. Among his favorite CJO guests are Clark Terry, Maureen McGovern and Jack Jones. He cites his two trips to Spain as his favorite CJO moments. Wes also recalls one fun incident when the trumpet section threw bags of shredded paper at the audience, getting paper stuck in the saxophones, much to the dismay of the reed section.

Family is very important to Wes Orr. He and Bobbi have three children (one's a successful swing dance instructor in England) and three grandchildren. He says that he has had more fun in the last three years with his grandkids than in the rest of his life. Wes also likes golf and fast cars, hoping to someday upgrade from Volvo to Vette.