Dr. Jim Buckner is Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Henderson State University where he teaches trumpet, brass methods, and brass ensembles.  He is the first trumpet professor at Henderson to teach only trumpet.  In 2006 he was also in charge of the Band Camp.  Since 2008 he has served as Controller for the North American Brass Band Association Championships.

Buckner previously taught at Illinois State University, Quincy University, Western Carolina University, Truman State University, and West High School in Waterloo, Iowa.  In 2001 he received the Ellis College Fine Arts Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching.

He is principal trumpeter with the Arkansas Brass, Mass Brass, and the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and also performs as first trumpet with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  He has been a member of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and the Quincy Symphony Orchestra and played for the national touring productions of Titanic and Peter Pan

Dr. Buckner has been featured with several orchestras, including the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (Neruda Concerto, Purcell Sonata), the Illinois Wesleyan University Chamber Orchestra (Shostakovitch Concerto for Piano, Trumpet, and Orchestra), the Quincy Symphony Orchestra (Arutunian Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra), and three times on the Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (Quincy Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Chamber Orchestra, and Northeast Missouri State University Festival Orchestra). He has been a featured soloist with school, college, and community bands throughout the South and Midwest..

In September, 1995 he performed a recital at the Moscow International Trumpet Festival.  Dr. Buckner was a member of  the Mississippi River Brass Band and was named Outstanding Soloist, Championship Division, at the Fifth Annual North American Brass Band Championships in Columbus, Ohio.  While a member of the Smoky Mountain Brass Band, Dr. Buckner performed at the 1982 World's Fair (Knoxville, TN), and he was a guest artist at the 1980 Trumpet Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

Buckner received the Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education from Iowa State University, the Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of Michigan, and the Doctor of Music in Trumpet Performance from Northwestern University.

His teachers have included:
Arnold Jacobs, solo tuba, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Vincent Cichowicz, Northwestern University; second trumpet, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Luther Didrickson, Northwestern University; first call trumpet, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Susan Slaughter, principal trumpet, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Clifford Lillya, University of Michigan
Joseph Christensen, Iowa State University
Arthur Swift, Iowa State University
Bob Gower, High School Band Director, Charles City, Iowa
Eugene Martin, Orchestra director, Charles City, Iowa
Dennis Thornton, University of Iowa trumpet student
Roger Whitcomb, applied instructor, Charles City, Iowa
Leo Schula, elementary band director, Charles City, Iowa
Doris Schmarzo, trumpeter, Charles City, Iowa

Several trumpet players had a profound influence on his decision to pursue trumpet playing as a career:
Bobby Hackett, jazz cornetist
Bud Brisbois, former lead trumpet with Henry Mancini and Stan Kenton
Clark Terry, jazz soloist
Doc Severinsen, trumpeter and band leader
Mike Vax, former lead trumpet with Stan Kenton and jazz soloist

"One of the most influential people in my life was Bud Brisbois, a phenomenal high note trumpeter.  Brisbois was soloist with my high school band and jazz band during my junior year.  He was such an exciting musician and great person that I was inspired to pursue the trumpet for a career."

In addition to his trumpet students at Henderson State University, he has had a number of other fine students.

Dr. Buckner and Doug Yeo, vice-president, and Rusty Morris, president, of NABBA