Buddy Clements

About Buddy…

Dr. Buddy Clements is a native of southern California. He enjoys a busy career as a freelance studio musician, composer and film actor. He studied tuba and bass trombone with James R. Jorgenson, Tommy Johnson and world-famous tubist Roger Bobo. His composition teachers include Dr. Barney Childs, Don Brandon Ray, Frank Campos, arranger Butch Evans, as well as his dear friend and mentor, Hollywood film composer Elmer Bernstein.

As a musician, Clements has performed with Glenn Campbell, Roger Williams, Mel Torme, Pat Boone, Charlie Daniels, Tony Orlando, James Galway, Doc Severinsen, Benny Goodman, Lee Greenwood, Gatlin Brothers, David Foster, Marilyn McCoo, Shirley Jones, Sandi Patty, the Canadian Brass and Gordon MaCrae to name but a few.

As an actor, Buddy has been enjoying much success in the acting side of his career. He has appeared recently in several feasture films including Incident At Guilt Ridge, Prayer For The Damned, Vampirz On A Boat, Meathook, Valentine Dayz as well as numerous infomercials and award-winning movie shorts.

Clements’s latest project is the GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK ORCHESTRA – 33 top Hollywood Jazz/Studio musicians dedicated to the Preservation, Promotion and Performance of the iconic music from the American Songbook. Clements is the musical director/founder of GASO and also performs various tuba solos with the orchestra at their concerts.

As a composer, Clements composed the soundtrack for the full-length feature film, PRAYER FOR THE DAMNED. His CONCERTO for JAZZ TRUMPET and ORCHESTRA was recorded by jazz trumpet legend Bobby Shew, and has also been receiving performances by orchestras worldwide. His composition I WILL FIGHT NO MORE FOREVER was recorded with Native-American actor Sonny Skyhawk providing the narration. His recent composition BLUE NOIR for Symphonic Band has been very well received as well!

As a conductor, Clements has shared the stage with Roger Williams, Charlie Daniels, Shirrill Milnes, Linda Hopkins, James Walker, Debby Boone, CeeCee Wians, Bobby Shew and Bill Watrous and many others. He served as Associate Conductor for the Hour of Power Orchestra from the world-famous Crystal Cathedral which included weekly world-wide Television broadcasting.

As a producer, he has produced concerts for Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Louie Bellson, Bobby Shew, Bill Watrous, Supersax, and several others.

As a music educator, Clements has been a music professor at California Polytechnic University at Pomona as well as the University of Redlands. While teaching at Walnut High School, he built one of the finest public high school music programs in California. In 2015, out of over 7,500 nominees, Clements was selected as one of the Top 25 semi-finalists for the GRAMMY Teacher of the Year by the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences. Clements also serves as a consultant and advisor for music programs in Southern California as well as a music festival adjudicator nationwide.