James A. Erdman II

James A. Erdman, II, of Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania, passed away on Saturday, May 31, 2025, with his loving family at his side. Born on January 21st, 1939, he was the son of the late Frederick and Catherine (Schubert) Erdman and beloved husband of Katharine (Koons) Erdman. On June 9th he and Kathie would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Kirsten Erdman McClain; a son, James Erdman III; one grandson, Jack McClain; two brothers, Timothy Erdman, husband of Carolyn, and Michael Erdman, husband of Nancy; and two sisters-in-law, Mina Hankins (wife of James), and Frederica Bair (wife of Richard). He was preceded in death in 2023 by an older brother, Fredric Erdman.
From an early age, Jim was exposed to a rich musical upbringing. His father played trumpet for vaudeville shows and was a private cornet and trumpet instructor of students throughout Lebanon County. After experimenting with the drums and other musical instruments during his childhood, Jim settled on the trombone and became a prodigy trombonist. He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1956 after meeting his future wife, Kathie, a clarinetist in the high school band.
Shortly after graduation and at age 17, Jim auditioned for and was accepted into "The President's Own" United States Marine Band. To date, he was the second youngest-ever member of the prestigious Marine Band, second only to the famous American composer and former conductor of the band, John Philip Sousa. Until his retirement in 1976, Jim served as the band's principal trombonist as well as its soloist, playing well over 1,000 solos throughout his 20 years of service. His career in the Marine Band was marked by annual national tours; weekly concerts on the steps of the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.; countless military funerals for fallen Marines at Arlington Cemetery; and White House functions and social events, including Presidential inaugurations and parades. He soloed regularly with the band, and for ten consecutive years during the band's annual 63-day cross-country national tours, he was the band's featured evening soloist, the only Marine Bandsman to have ever achieved that accomplishment. He retired from the band in 1976 as a master gunnery sergeant and was promoted to that rank while still in his late twenties, making him the youngest to hold that rank in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was decorated with the Marine Corps' medals for meritorious service and good conduct. The renditions and style of his many recorded trombone solos both in and outside of the band have been studied by amateur and professional musicians alike.
During his career with the Marine Band, Jim was also trained as a piano tuner and tuned pianos at the White House. Following his retirement from the band in 1976, Jim's musical accomplishments continued to flourish. After establishing his own private piano tuning business, he soon found new fulfillment as a low brass instructor at Lebanon Valley College, where he taught for 35 years until retiring in 2018. During his career at LVC, Jim founded Die Posaunen, the first trombone quartet in-residence at a U.S. college or university. A true mentor, "Prof Erdman" formed trusting, long-lasting relationships with his students and provided not only music instruction, but life lessons and a safe, judgement-free space for everyone. In May 2019, Jim was presented with an honorary doctoral degree from LVC for his invaluable contributions to the music department and the positive impact he had on so many students and faculty.
Jim collaborated with his two other brothers, Fredric and Timothy, on a memoir called "Guaranteed Notes: The Demand for Perfection," detailing the three brothers' years together in the Marine Band, another unique distinction. Away from the music world, however, Jim was also a multifaceted and empathetic person with many different interests. He was a reader of classical literature and was known to be deeply philosophical and spiritual. From a young age, he was an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers, and during his time in the Marine Band, he became friends with the Packers' legendary quarterback, Bart Starr, even accepting an invitation to Starr's home while touring with the band in Wisconsin. Whenever possible, Jim loved to play golf with his many friends, his son, and grandson, and explore different parts of the country with his family. He was never afraid to try new adventures.
To keep his trombone "chops" in shape, Jim performed regularly in the Central Pennsylvania Brass Ensemble and with the Lancaster British Brass Band. He was also a long-time member of the International Trombone Association and participated in various music events and workshops, where he conducted numerous master's classes for thousands of musicians. He was awarded LVC's "Nevelyn Nisely Award" for being recognized by the college as its outstanding adjunct faculty member, and was named "Distinguished Alumnus" by the Lebanon School District. In 2013 Jim was inducted by the Harmonia Music Association as a member of its Lebanon County Musicians Hall of Fame.
A Celebration of Jim's life will be held in the Miller Chapel on the campus of Lebanon Valley College, on Saturday, July 19th at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lebanon Valley College Music Dept. where a scholarship will be established in Jim's name.