Red McMillian

Herman "Red" McMillian was a jazz trumpet player who played with Ray Shep's Midnight Owls Band, in addition to several well-known national acts.

Joining the newly formed Washington High School Marching Band in 1939, McMillian showed a rapid mastery of the trumpet and was hired by bandleader Ray Shep to play second trumpet with Bobby Carter. He graduated high school in 1942 and was drafted a year later. During his time in special service, he befriended and trained under Howard Thompson of Detroit. He would play with nationally known groups including Tiny Bradshaw, Lucky Millinder and Andy Kirk before returning to Pensacola in 1950 and rejoining the Ray Shep Band.

He was inducted into Pensacola's Music Makers Hall of Fame in 1982.

References

• "He Played Like Gabriel." New American Press, December 28, 1989.