Phil Mooring

Phil, founder of the Moonlight Swing Band, has been playing trumpet since 1959, when he was 12. In his words, “I loved playing music, and I played in every band Fike High had at that time – marching band, concert band, jazz band, pep band, a Dixieland band, and a centennial Civil War reenactment regimental band. Truth is, I spent way too much time in the band room.” In the 1980s, Phil was one of the founders of the 30-piece Wilson Community British Brass Band. He has performed with the Wilson Symphony. He has played in church orchestras and plays Taps for veterans’ funerals. An early influence on Phil was Cuban-American band leader and actor Desi Arnaz, who appeared on the “I Love Lucy” show. On Phil’s third trip to Cuba in 2015, he finally got to play with a Cuban band, a lifelong dream of his. He is happily retired and living the life. He loves traveling and hiking with his wife, Avis, and, still a Boy Scout at heart, he brings home souvenirs like rocks, leaves, lichen, pinecones, and tree nuts for his natural history collection.