Dr. Thomas Michael Houston

Graveside services for Dr. Thomas Michael Houston, 73, who passed away on December 23, 2014, will be held Friday, December 26, 2014, at 2:00pm at Sunset Memorial Park in Nacogdoches, TX, with The Rev. Gary Hill officiating.

Dr. Houston was born February 22, 1941, in Parsons, Tennessee, to the late Earl Thomas Houston and Margaret Garvey Houston. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Donna Abshier Houston of Nacogdoches, TX; sister, Nina Joyce Thacker and husband, Peter, of Charlottesville, Virginia; nephew, Philip Thacker and wife, Sarah; nephew Peter Thacker and wife Sarah and children Eliot, Maud, and Martha, all of Richmond, Virginia; sister-in-law, Priscilla Abshier Sliva, and husband, Bobby; nephew Jeff Sliva and wife, Phyllis, and children Zach and Zoe; niece Julie Sliva Aaronson and husband, Marc, and children David, Amy, and Ashley, all of Wharton, TX.

Dr. Houston became interested in music at an early age because his father was an amateur clarinetist and a clarinet was available in his home. By the time he was in the sixth grade he was accepted as a member of the high school marching band in Bruceton, Tennessee. He received a music scholarship to Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education in 1963.

After teaching instrumental music in the public schools in Madisonville, KY, for three years, Dr. Houston entered Florida State University as a graduate assistant and received the Master of Music degree in 1967. He was a recipient of the Martha Baird Rockefeller grant to the Brevard Music Center in 1968 for the orchestra repertory training program. In 1971, Dr. Houston was the first to receive a Doctor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Florida State University. While at FSU, he was a graduate assistant in clarinet and flute under Harry Schmidt and Albert Tipton.

In 1967, he became a member of the music department at Stephen F. Austin State University, teaching woodwinds. For several years he conducted the University Symphony and started such programs as the children’s concerts, concerto aria concerts, pops concerts, benefit concerts, guest soloists with the orchestra and established scholarships for the symphony. He directed the Flute Festival at SFA for five years. In addition, he was the principal clarinetist with the Longview Symphony Orchestra for three years and he was principal flutist with the East Texas Symphony in Tyler for nine years. He was active in the Houston Flute Club, where in 1983, he conducted the first Flute-In. For several seasons, Dr. Houston served on the staff at Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony Opera Program in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he taught and played principal flute in the Opera Orchestra. He was a flute clinician with Muramatsu Flutes USA and a member of the National Flute Association. During the summer of 1983, Dr. Houston was selected as one of 12 performers for the Geoffrey Gilbert Flute Master’s Class which was held in California.

As a freelance performer on clarinet, flute and saxophone, he performed throughout the United States. His first professional experience was the Nashville area with local territory orchestras. He has played with numerous orchestras throughout the country including The Troyce Hutchinson Orchestra, The Jack Stallcup Orchestra, The Tommy Allan Orchestra, The Russ Carlyle Orchestra and The Guy Lombardo Orchestra. He has performed with The Mills Brothers, The Harmonicats, Mimi and Hines, Lottie Lenya, Roger Williams, Cozy Cole, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Art Mooney, Ishkibble, The Moon Maids, and Bob Hope.

In 1989, Dr. Houston realized his life-long “Pipe Dream” when he formed the Tom Houston Orchestra and used “Pipe Dreams” as the theme song for the orchestra. It was a sixteen piece group including a vocalist, with Dr. Houston performing on the clarinet. The Tom Houston Orchestra played throughout Texas and parts of Louisiana performing at conventions, galas, wedding receptions, anniversary and birthday parties, war-year themed concerts and dances, Mardi Gras parties, and New Year’s Eve celebrations. The Tom Houston Orchestra performed on numerous cruises and shared the stage with the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. He loved every minute of it!

Dr. Houston retired from Stephen F. Austin State University as an Associate Professor of Music in 2008.

During his retirement years he continued to perform with the Tom Houston Combo, playing flute, clarinet, and saxophone and with the Tom Houston Orchestra. In addition, he recorded two classic country CDs entitled Tuxedo Country.

Dr. Houston was a member of the Christ Episcopal Church in Nacogdoches.

A very special thank you to Dr. Richard Baker and his staff of many years for the care they showed to Dr. Houston and his family.

Memorial donations may be made to the Tom Houston Musicians Memorial Fund of Christ Episcopal Church, 1320 N. Mound Street, Nacogdoches, TX 75961.