GREAT FALLS — Harold "Bud" Nicholls, whose name has been synonymous with music in Great Falls for decades, died on Sunday, May 11, 2025 at the age of 85.
His daughter said in an email to KRTV that whether he was teaching music or band, performing with the Great Falls Symphony and the Harold Nicholls Big Band, doing programs on NPR highlighting the jazz greats, or helping students from across Montana get started with on their own musical journey with their first instrument at Nicholls Music Store, Bud taught that music is a love affair meant to last a lifetime.
Born in March 1940, Nicholls began playing in the Great Falls City Band in 1955. He then went on to conduct the band - which is still going strong - from 1980 until his retirement in 2021.
In June 2022 he received the Paris Gibson Award for the lasting impact his musical service has had on our community - watch:
He was the music director and pit conductor for the Summer Showcase Series at the College of Great Falls in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bud was a true educator, connecting music to every conversation, always letting his students and band members know how valuable art is to everyday life.
He taught at numerous schools, including in Brady, Fort Benton, Belt, Cascade, Our Lady of Lourdes, and the College of Great Falls.
His student bands were known for their technical foundation and his professional bands brought musicality and style delighting their audiences.
Nicholls was a supporter of young artists working festivals and attending concerts and shows at all schools in town for decades.
“Papa Bud,” as he was called by the students at Miss Linda’s School of Dance, never missed a show and we extend our condolences to his wife Miss Linda and his family as they grieve this enormous loss.
Nicholls was all style, often called the best dressed man in town.
He left this world peacefully, watching the Yankees play, listening to Sinatra, and surrounded by family. He leaves a large footprint on this community and we are grateful for the time he played his trumpet for us.
