Before retiring in 2015, Bruce Jackson built a multifaceted career as a college teacher of music and humanities, a college administrator, a church service musician, and a performing musician. He holds a Doctor of Arts in music theory and composition from Ball State University and completed all but the dissertation for a Doctor of Music Ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned a Master of Music in composition from the University of Arkansas, a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies and bass guitar from the New England Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.Throughout his teaching career, Bruce instructed college-level courses in music theory, ear training, composition, improvisation, jazz ensembles, double bass, bass guitar, class guitar, music appreciation, and interdisciplinary humanities. His expertise extended beyond the classroom to a wide variety of performance settings including venues ranging from jazz, classical, orchestral, blues, rock & roll, country, pop, and music theater. He has performed in academic halls, festivals, clubs and lounges, and churches.Bruce has a record of publication. His doctoral dissertation studied the g-d-G-C Scordatura Tuning of the Double Bass. He co-authored Practical Beginning Theory, 8th edition, with Bruce Benward and Barbara Garvey Jackson, published by McGraw-Hill, College Division. In 2022 he published a novel - Thom Jons: A Novel of the Life, Death, and Resurrection of One Who Rejected Life and Demanded Death. In addition, he has self-published volumes of poetry, essays, articles, worship services, and ruminations. From June 2025 until October 2025 a trilogy of poetry was published:A Lonesome Long SitTales & Tails on Lifelong TrailsDriving on Empty