Inductees to be honored in Indianapolis in March

INDIANAPOLIS – Music for All is announcing the class of 2025 Hall of Fame inductees.  

Carl Grapentine, Nola Jones, and Jay Webb will be inducted during a ceremony at the 2025 Music for All National Festival, presented by Yamaha, March 13-15 in Indianapolis, IN.  

Music for All’s Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have significantly impacted Music for All, its programs, and music education in America. Members represent impeccable character, ethics, and professionalism and are role models for music education professionals. The 2025 inductees are:  

 Carl Grapentine

Carl Grapentine is known and recognized for his memorable voice and involvement in the music industry. In 1992, Grapentine had the honor of hosting the first National Concert Band Festival in Evanston, Illinois and has been the Master of Ceremonies at almost all of the Music for All National Festivals. An alumnus of the University of Michigan School of Music, Grapentine has been the “stadium voice” of the University of Michigan Marching Band since 1970 and game announcer in Michigan Stadium since 2005.  

Along with presenting pre-concert lectures for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Grapentine enjoyed a 46-year career in classical music radio. He hosted the Morning Program on Chicago’s classical music station, WFMT, for twenty-five years and was the morning host of WQRS, the classical music station in Detroit, thirteen years prior.  

An accomplished conductor and singer, Grapentine has many years of experience as a church music director. He also has sung the national anthem for professional and collegiate sporting events including at Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate Field (formerly Comiskey Park), Tiger Stadium, the Pontiac Silverdome, and the University of Michigan’s Crisler Center. 

 Nola Jones

 Nola Jones is a lifelong music educator who is a devoted and effective leader in arts education. She currently serves on the Chief Judge Team for Bands of America and is the Division Coordinator for the Director Academy at the Music for All Summer Symposium. In addition to extensive ensemble and classroom teaching experience, Jones possesses broad skills in leadership development, program design and implementation, curriculum writing, development, advocacy, and partnership building.  

 Jones maintains an active schedule as a guest speaker, conductor, adjudicator, clinician, and program evaluator. She has appeared nationally in 43 of the United States and internationally in Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, and Singapore. She was the Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Music Education Association. She has been a featured presenter for the Midwest Clinic, NAMM Music Education Days, the National Association for Music Education, and Save the Music Foundation. She was on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and served on the Education Advisory Board of Frist Center for the Visual Arts. 

Jones received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Mississippi State University and a Master of Music Education degree from Mississippi College. She received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of South Carolina. 

 Jay Webb 

 Jay Webb recently retired as the Director of Bands at Avon High School after 29 years. Along with serving as an adjudicator for Bands of America, the Avon Band, under Webb’s baton, was consistently recognized as a leader in instrumental music education and pageantry activities.  

The Avon Band program’s many successes include 55 state and 16 national championships, including the Bands of America (BOA) Grand National Championship under Webb’s direction in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Webb also led the Avon Band as they won the Sudler Shield in 2007, performed in the Tournament of Roses parade in 2012, and performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2015.  

Webb brings a variety of experiences ranging from performances with the award-winning drumline of the Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Webb is a graduate of Butler University (B.M.E. 1991), and has memberships that include Phi Beta Mu, Indiana Bandmasters Association, Indiana Music Educators Association, and as the founding member of Indiana Percussion Association. 

To read more about the Music for All Hall of Fame and read about past inductees visit musicforall.org.Â