Charles M. Smith, Director of Bands
Born and raised in nearby Cynthiana, Kentucky, Mr. Smith graduated from Harrison County High School, and then earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Kentucky, and Master of Arts degree in Music Education from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He is an active adjudicator and clinician throughout the southeast, and is past President of the Central Kentucky Music Educators Association.
Mr. Smith served in the capacity of Assistant Director of Bands at his alma mater — Harrison County High School, prior to accepting the leadership role for bands at Elizabethtown High School, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in 1989. During his tenure at Elizabethtown, the concert program consistently received distinguished ratings, and from 1993 to 1995, the marching band was awarded the Class AAA Kentucky State Marching Band Champion designation. In 1994, Mr. Smith was selected as the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Young Band Director in Kentucky, and in 2002, Phi Beta Mu selected him as a Master Band Director for the State of Kentucky. Mr. Smith was recently selected as one of “50 Directors Who Make a Difference” by School Band and Orchestra Magazine.
A few of Lafayette’s more notable accomplishments under his direction are as follows: the Lafayette High School Marching Band has been the Class AAAA and AAAAA Kentucky State Marching Band Champion eighteen times since 1990. The Lafayette Band has marched in Bands of America Regional events in Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky, and in 2004, was selected as a Bands of America Grand National Finalist. In 2005, the Lafayette Band was named BOA Class AAA Super Regional Champion in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mr. Smith and his wife Edwina reside in Lexington and have three children: Ethan, Keegan and Jackson.