Dr. Michael Decuir was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began playing the clarinet at the age of eleven and matriculated to Southern University in New Orleans where he earned a BA in Instrumental Music Education. He earned a MA in Music History & Literature from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Doctor of Arts in Humanities from Clark Atlanta University where he currently serves as the Interim Chair of the Music Department, Associate Professor of Music, and Director, University Bands. He is a performing blues, classical, and jazz woodwind artist.