Milton Bays Shoaf, Jr., 2nd Alto Sax

Bays Shoaf was born in Cabarrus County, and raised in Kannapolis where he grew up in a musical family. His father was a bass-baritone who sang professionally in the area. Classically trained, Bays’ father sang at recitals, weddings, and other events. He was also a professionally trained violinist. Bays’ mother was a pianist who also received vocal training. Bays’ brother, Steve, was also a bass-baritone singer with a college music degree who sang in musical theater and operas in the Orlando, Florida area.  As for Bays, his first instrument was the violin, which he played through grammar school. When the orchestra was discontinued, he played trombone through high school. After college and law school, he decided to get back into music, and chose the alto saxophone as his instrument. Bays loves to play by ear, and finds the reading of music in the context of the Swing Band to be fun and re-educational. More importantly, Bays finds that playing with the Salisbury Swing Band band helps him to forget the stress that is sometimes involved with the practice of law.