Hilton Dwight Satterwhite, Jr., 79, of Athens, GA passed away after a valiant battle with cancer on October 1, 2024, in the company of his beloved wife, Christine. All who knew him will miss his Dwight-isms, exuberant passion for music, sense of humor, and love for football.
Dwight was born on September 17, 1945, in Tampa, FL. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Music Education, Master of Music and Doctor of Education from the University of Alabama. He loved his marching band experience with The Million Dollar Band so much that they had to take him kicking and screaming from the field. It was that love that drove him to give this same experience to thousands of UGA Redcoat Band Members for over 20 years. He began his teaching career in Huntsville, AL at Davis Hills Junior High School and Westlawn Junior High School. In between schools, he was drafted into military service and served with the 5th Army Field Band at Redstone Arsenal (more commonly known as the Filthy 5th!). His high school teaching included Angleton HS in Angleton, TX, and Rutherford HS in Panama City, FL. Prior to coming to the University of Georgia, he taught one year at Valdosta State University, in Valdosta, GA.
During his 42-year tenure with UGA (1982–2023), he served as the Director of Bands and Associate Director of Bands for 23 years. Dr. Satterwhite is the co-author of “Power in The Progress System”, an enrichment curriculum for bands and maintained an active schedule as a conductor, guest conductor, adjudicator, clinician, and pedagogue of band performance practices throughout the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and Brazil.
Under his leadership, The University of Georgia Band program received international recognition through the release of Compact Disc recordings featuring both premieré performances of commissioned works and standard concert band repertoire. The University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band was awarded the highest honor for Collegiate Marching Bands, the Sudler Trophy, in 2000. Dr. Satterwhite’s UGA Wind Symphony has presented several concerts at GMEA and was twice selected to perform at the College Band Directors National Association National Conference. His recordings have received outstanding reviews and were distributed internationally by Summit Records. Dr. Satterwhite has also conducted many nationally distributed recordings for music publishers including Carl Fischer, Southern Music, C. Alan Publications, and TRN, introducing new band literature to universities and secondary schools world-wide.
Dwight is survived by his wife, Christine Kraemer of Athens, GA; brother, Robert Satterwhite of Huntsville, AL; sister, Lila Busby of Hoover, AL; brother, Terry Satterwhite of Eastaboga, AL; and daughter, Susan Satterwhite of Athens, GA; grandchildren: Sabrina and Neil; and many friends and extended family.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held on Monday, October 7, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., with visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m., at Bernstein Funeral Home in Athens, GA. Graveside service to follow immediately after the service at Evergreen Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the UGA Foundation for the initiative to name the band practice field the “H. Dwight Satterwhite Redcoat Band Practice Field.” Donations given to this account below will be identified and earmarked towards this initiative. Donors can also identify “Satterwhite” in the tribute line.
UGA Foundation
Attn: Gift Accounting
1 Press Place, Suite 101
Athens, GA 30601
https://gail.uga.edu/commit?cat=school&subcat=music&des=95232000
Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
