Troy professor still finds love for teaching after 55 years, retirement

A Troy University music professor is still involved on campus after 36 years of teaching at Troy as a part of a 55-year-long teaching career. 

Ray Smith has been officially retired from teaching full time since 2017, but his status of professor emeritus has allowed him to remain a part of the community, and the university, as an advisor, part-time teacher and helping hand to the students. Even after teaching for 55 years, Smith claims he never gets bored. 

“This is music -- I never teach the same stuff,” Smith said. “Yes, I teach music, but there’s so many different parts to music. 

Smith speaks during an event. (University Relations photo)

“Whether I’m teaching an individual applied instruction, whether I’m teaching a class or a general studies class, whether I’m conducting a band or an orchestra or doing a theatre production, there’s a million different things involved with this kind of position.” 

With the variety keeping him around and interested, retiring fully never seemed like the path for him. In 2017, he was given the status of professor emeritus, which one can only receive by a vote from their colleagues.  

The title is meant as one of honor for those who have had a long and distinguished career serving their university; it is also what allows him to stay involved in the school’s music program, and its students, post-retirement.  

“It’s always nice to be appreciated as much as I appreciate them,” Smith said. “The music department has so many things going on all the time, and we have such a connection with the community and the entire southeastern part of America. 

“This place is not finished growing. The research and the teaching that gets done here is important and I’ve greatly enjoyed being a part of that.” 

Outside of the university, Smith has had an extensive career in the music industry, which began almost accidentally when he was just 15 years old.  

His high school band director knew an event organizer looking for musicians to perform at his events, and Smith was recommended to fill the role. The organizer approached 15-year-old Smith asking him to play for the Charity Bowl, and by the end of the night, he was handed a check. 

“I thought I was doing it for charity, but they gave me a check and asked if I’d be able to play next weekend,” Smith said. “I said I’ll check with my mother and make sure I can because I was too young to even drive and so my brother ended up driving me to my first jobs.” 

During his long career, Smith played in many different orchestras and symphonies and got the chance to record with, perform with and accompany numerous famous jazz and jazz-related acts such as Sammy Davis Jr, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie Andrews, Bob Hope, the Temptations and many more. For Smith, working with some of these artists felt like dreams coming true. 

“I truly enjoyed playing with the Four Tops and the Temptations, and all of that Motown music because I grew up with that in high school,” Smith said. “To then being able to play with the people that you enjoyed, your heroes, that’s great fun and it was great to just be around them and be making music with great musicians.”  

Having so many experiences with so many different groups and artists was made possible by Smith’s skill and dedication in multiple instruments. With so many options of different horns and wind instruments to play, Smith was available to fill any role a producer needed him for. 

“It makes it difficult, and makes it also interesting, doesn’t it,” Smith said. “It’d be kind of like a football player and you don’t know position you’re going to be playing in the game tonight like ‘Am I a defensive end or a quarterback today, I don't know.’” 

Even though it wasn’t as easy as playing just one instrument would be, it gave Smith’s career the variety it needed to stay interesting for over 50 years, just as his career at Troy gave him enough variety for him to stick around after retirement. 

In all his time at Troy, Smith worked under Dr. John Long as director for the Sound of the South, served as professor of saxophone and woodwind studies, director of jazz studies and conductor of the Troy University Symphonic Band. Now, he teaches a class about listening to jazz and its history and helps around the School of Music wherever he can. 

“I just enjoy being here at Troy University, and I appreciate the opportunity,” Smith said. “It’s been a good life and it’s not over yet. I plan to continue on.”