ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) – The Delta County community is remembering a beloved music teacher and band director after his death earlier this month.
John Roderick Chown, 95, died Nov. 9, 2025. Chown’s youngest son, Kevin Chown, says he remembers how dedicated his father was to music.
“I was the youngest kid in the family, and when I was born, he was kind of at the peak of his teaching career and had his biggest bands,” Kevin said. “So, when I came of age, I witnessed probably his finest hours, if you know what I mean, as a conductor and as a teacher.”
People call him an icon of the music industry. His finest hours were some of the finest for those who knew him.
“He was teaching at Escanaba High School. I was at rival Gladstone High School, and we all knew John Chown,” said Escanaba City Band Director Bruce Cassell.
He was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in 1930 and graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in music education.
For 32 years, Chown worked with Escanaba Area Public Schools as a band director.
“He was never John Chown to me, he was always Mr. Chown, Mr. Chown, Mr. Chown,” said Escanaba City Band Assistant Director Joseph Hellberg. “And then he yelled at me and said, ‘Stop calling me Mr. Chown. I’m Jack.’”
Jack, John, Mr. Chown. He was timeless.
Conducting the Escanaba City Band last year and playing trumpet in the band this summer.
The city band performed ‘Old Comrades’ at his visitation Tuesday night.
A life of lessons learned, then passed down.
“Know your part. Always be prepared,” said Cassell, when asked what lesson from Chown he’ll always remember.
“We don’t have any control over what we receive in life, we only have control over what we’re willing and able to offer to the world around us,” said Kevin Chown.
John Chown was drafted into the US Army in 1952 during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1954.
His daughter, Amy, told me the person who plays ‘Taps’ at the funeral was instrumental in Chown’s life. Amy asked Hellberg to do it.
“The funeral director said that was Jack’s wish, as long as his lip lasts,” said Hellberg. “So that’s a little joke, ya know, cause trumpet players, ya know, if your lip goes, you can’t play. There’s no more of a fitting way to play for a musician than to perform.”
Kevin Chown was motivated by his father’s leadership to begin a career in music. A career that’s taken him to more than 80 countries. A career that Kevin will carry on in Escanaba.
“He was kind of a living legend,” said Kevin. “When you’re (the) son of a living legend, it’s a torch to carry forward and I shall.”
Just as the lyrics in ‘Old Comrades’ say: “Whether in joy, whether in need, we remain faithful unto death.”
You can read Chown’s full obituary here.
The video above will feature the TV6 livestream until staff can clip the corresponding story, if available, from broadcasts or other TV6 content. You can subscribe to our YouTube page or download TV6+ to stream the latest local news and weather.
Copyright 2025 WLUC. All rights reserved.
Longtime Escanaba Music Director John Chown, 95, remembered by old comrades – Upper Michigan's Source
