Ed Benson born and raised in Rocky Mount, NC, attended NC State College before entering the Armed Services in 1944. He received his BS in Music Education from East Carolina University in 1950 and after a brief tour with the Bob Astor Orchestra from New York, entered Teacher’s College, Columbia University from which he received an MS degree in Music Education in 1952. His teaching experience includes band and choral duties in New Bern, NC, and Fuquay Springs, NC, where he taught band, chorus and general music. Ed moved to Asheville, NC, in 1960 where he served as Music Supervisor and band director in two Junior Highs and the Senior High. In 1965, he moved to Charlotte, NC, where he again became band director in two Junior Highs and a Senior High. In 1968, he began the duties of Instrumental Coordinator for the Charlotte/Mecklenburg School system, a position held until retirement in June of 1997.

Mr. Benson served on the first NC State Band Curriculum Committee as well as the Music Instrument Standards Committee for NC. He has held the offices of Vice-President and President of the NC Bandmasters Association, has received the Twenty-five Year Service Award of The NC Music Educators Association, the Outstanding Music Educator Award of the South Central District and was elected to the North Carolina Bandmasters Hall of Fame. He has served as an adjudicator and clinician in North and South Carolina.

He is the author of a handbook entitled, “Band Techniques I Wish I’d Known Sooner”, concerning teaching aids, suggestions and observations collected over some forty-eight years in music education.