In 1986, John Frank Baker founded the original “Big Brass” Bash. At the time of his death on November 10, 2000 he was President of the Board of Directors and continued to be a great inspiration to the continuing success of this event.

He was born in Pullman, Washington on October 13, 1936. He graduated from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in music education and taught music and directed the Lutheran Church choir in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho.

In 1962 he joined the Spokane Symphony Orchestra as a trombonist and retired after 37 years in 1999. He received an M.A. in Trombone Performance from the University of Idaho in 1964.


He served as Vice-President of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 105 in Spokane. He played tuba, trombone, and euphonium in the “Bottom Line”, a music education group, the Inland Empire Brass and other musical groups. He was a gifted music teacher whose private students ranged from 11 to 83, and had an instrument repair service. For many years, he promoted and contracted the Spokane River Band-a traditional summer band that played in all of the city parks of Spokane. Membership was comprised of Spokane Symphony winds, conducted by Keating Johnson, and regularly featured euphonium and tuba solos with the band.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Trail; daughter and son-in-law, Anne-Marie and Steven Fuhrmeister of Eugene, Oregon; son, M. Orien Baker of Maui, Hawaii; grand-daughter, Emma Fuhrmeister; two step children, Eric Kuhner of Eugene and Gretchen Kuhner of Mexico City; sister Beverly Hawk of Moscow, Idaho; brother-in-laws Tom and David Trail of Moscow; and sister-in-law Susan of Ellensburg.

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