This year, Houghton’s music industry program is now in the hands of two of its newest professors: James Bowman, hailing from Buffalo, and Carlton Campbell of Rochester.
Director of Technical Arts James Bowman, who also spent time in Sioux Falls, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, graduated from Full Sail University with a BS in Music Business. He is also stepping in as the Interim Instructor of Music Industry. Campbell attended the University of Buffalo, where he originally met Bowman, and fills the role of Assistant Director of Technical Arts.
If it seems like there’s a bromance brewing between the two, don’t be fooled—that’s old news. Friends for over eleven years before coming together to teach at Houghton, both professors felt called to the rural school and its music program: “Carlton pointed me in the direction of an amazing opportunity. I believe it was God’s divine leading and I’m glad Carlton heard His voice,” said Bowman, who is also related to several Houghton alumni. Campbell’s family had built a home studio, which they opened to Bowman; they refused to accept any compensation for the time he spent tucked away in their house, learning about music production.
Both professors bring years of expertise at arranging, producing, recording and mixing music, yet a conversation with them reveals two very down-to-earth and approachable guys who value fun in the classroom. Campbell’s love for New York sports teams, for instance, led him to structure one of his classes like a fantasy football league, with points earned for completed “offensive” and “defensive” actions. loves bowling, gaming, and family time. Bowman is also a sports fan and a family man, but has also always enjoyed travel and “anything that has to do with marine/aquatic life.” This passion could have led him along a vastly different career path. Said Bowman, “When I was a kid I dreamt of being an oceanographer, until my father told me I couldn’t play the drums underwater.”
In conversation, it’s also very apparent just how much they both love music. Campbell, before coming to Houghton, served as one of his church’s musical directors and performed as a touring drummer and occasional bassist. His music has been featured on The Sopranos and CBS’s sitcom The King of Queens, and he once played alongside Robert Randolph & the Slide Brothers on The Tonight Show. Bowman grew up in a musical family and says that it has been a part of his life since the day he was born: “Music is what I do and it’s around me everywhere I go,” he said.
But don’t let these fun-loving antics fool you. Campbell and Bowman share a vision for their department and a passionate dedication to advancing the music industry program. When asked about goals for their students, their passion is impossible to hide. Both professors aim to give every student who passes through their doors the tools they’ll need for success. The extensive musical and technical expertise they bring, as well as their commitment to faith and their enthusiasm for interacting one-on-one with students, are all promising signs at the commencement of a new school year.