Ray Bell is a native of Nashville and 1960 graduate of West End High School. He received a B.A degree from Hendrix College and a M.M.E. degree from Peabody College before launching a 27-year career as a middle school and high school band director. He taught for 24 of those years in the Metro Nashville schools and 23 of those at McMurray Junior High/Middle School. He has served as Executive Secretary and President of MTSBOA. He has served TMEA as former Exhibits Chair, Auditions Chair, Inservice Conference Chair, and President (1988-1990) and currently is secretary of DaCapo, the council of past TMEA Presidents. He is an active community volunteer including 17 years with the Nashville Talking Library and the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery Program. He also served on the Ethics Review Board for Research for St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville..