BORN IN: Houston, TX

LIVES IN: Katy, TX

PLAYING SINCE: 2006

BIGGEST INFLUENCES: The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE YOU PLAYED IN: WGI World Championships with Clear Brook High School; 2011

MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE YOU DIDN’T PLAY IN: Vista Ridge HS Percussion TMEA – 2023

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Advancing to finals with Seven Lakes High School at the BOA San Antonio Super Regional, and UIL State Marching competitions.

FAVOURITE SABIAN CYMBAL: 22” Neil Pert Paragon Ride

James Allen Vinson, Director of Percussion, is in his 8th year with Seven Lakes High School. Mr. Vinson’s current responsibilities include teaching and organizing the Marching Percussion program, 4 Percussion Ensembles, the Percussion Class at Beckendorff Junior High School, team-teaching the Band Percussion sections, and rehearsing/organizing the percussion section for the Seven Lakes High School Full Orchestra; the 2016 and 2020 TMEA Full Honor Orchestra.

Mr. Vinson studied at the University of Houston from Fall 2012 – Spring of 2017 where he performed in multiple award-winning ensembles including the University Wind Symphony under David Bertman, the Aura Contemporary Ensemble under Dr. Rob Smith, and the Moores School Percussion Ensemble under Dr. Blake Wilkins.Additionally, Mr. Vinson performed with the 2012-2013 Crossmen Drum and Bugles Corps Quadline, and the 2014-2015 Cavaliers Drum and Bugles Corps quadline; serving as the Tenor Captain for the 2015 season.

While at Seven Lakes High School, Mr. Vinson has assisted the band into multiple State Marching Band qualifi cations as well as consistent Finalist placements for BOA and USBANDS competitions; culminating in the school’s fi rst ever Finals advancement in the 2024 BOA San Antonio Super Regional, the 2024 UIL State Marching Competition, and it’s selection as one of the 2024 Sudler Shield Recipients. Additionally, Mr. Vinson founded the marching percussion competition and clinic, Battle at the Lakes, now known as Rhodes Rumble.

In 2020 Mr. Vinson founded the Seven Lakes Indoor Percussion Ensemble. Seven Lakes is a consistent Open-class WGI Houston Regional fi nalist, and Open-class TCGC Medalist.

Mr. Vinson has previously served as the primary battery technician for the Clear Brook High School drumline out of Friendswood, Texas. While there, he assisted with three TCGC State Championships, two WGI Regional Championships, and a Second Placement in the WGI World Championships Competition in Dayton, OH.

When he’s not at SLHS, Mr. Vinson plays drumset in “Spacy Lacy & The Satellites”, enjoys cooking with his fiance, a choir director in Katy ISD, as well as spending time with his Mini Aussie/Wookie, Chewie.