Sims, Jay Gilmore (1876-1965) | University of Illinois Archives

Jay Gilmore Sims (1878-1965), musician, cornetist, trombonist and band manager for the Sousa Band was born on February 7th, 1878 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. 

He taught himself how to play bugle and cornet as a child, and later continued his training while playing with different local bands around North Carolina. In 1898 he enlisted in the 1st North Carolina Infantry Volunteers as a trumpeter and he later was asked to serve as a trombonist. He remained in active duty as a musician until he was honorably discharged in 1901, after playing with the band in the Philippines and Cuba.  From 1901 to 1919 worked for different theater companies as a pit musician and later band manager. In 1919 he joined the Sousa Band as a trombonist and manager, positions that he held until 1931. He died in 1965.