Dr. R. Jarrett Farrell returned home to LaGrange in 2006 to lead the band that inspired him as a  child. Dr. Farrell grew up in LaGrange and it was watching the LaGrange High School Band that made him want to be in the band. His family moved to Birmingham, AL where he was a 1990 graduate of Shades Valley-RLC, an academic magnet school, and was a member of the band at W.A. Berry High School (now Hoover High School) under Michail Mayhall, Dr. Johnny Jacobs, Bill Locklear, and Darry Pilkington. As a high school student he earned the Eagle Scout Rank and attended the 1988 World Scout Jamboree in Australia.

Dr. Farrell earned his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from Auburn University, studing with Randall Faust. While a student at Auburn Dr. Farrell played Tuba and Bass Trombone in the Symphonic Band, Auburn Brass, Trombone Choir, Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, Marching Band, and Pep Band. As an undergraduate he wrote arrangements for the Auburn University Marching Band under Tim Kelley, the Trombone Choir, Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, Auburn Brass and Pep Band.

Dr. Farrell served as the Band Director and General Music Teacher at Madison Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. His bands at MA earned many honors, including sweeping Best in Class Awards at the Southeastern Marching Festival in Dalton, GA. The band at Madison Academy grew during Dr. Farrell's tenure from 29 to 60 students. He left this position to pursue his M.Ed. full time at Alabama A&M University. While at Alabama A&M, he served as an instructor, arranger, and drill-writer for the Bob Jones High School Band in Madison, AL.

After graduating from Alabama A&M, Dr. Farrell moved to Birmingham, AL, and joined the staff at Minor High School, working under Sousa Foundation Sudler Cup Winner J. Michael Tucker. While a member of the staff, the Minor Band consistently received Superior Rankings and won numerous Best In Class and Best in Division awards in Marching and Concert competitions.

In 2001, Dr. Farrell was appointed director of the Worth County High School Band in Sylvester, Georgia. The long-storied program at Worth County, home to Georgia Bandmasters Hall of Fame inductees Eugene Wyles and Jesse Walker, experienced exceptional growth under Dr. Farrell. His first day of band camp saw only 35 students, but the band grew to over 140 members in subsequent years. His tenure saw the Worth County Band earn superior ratings in concert and marching, as well as The Tifton Mayor's Cup and First Place at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival. 

Dr. Farrell's academic journey continued as he began his Doctoral of Music Arts program at Boston University while teaching at Worth County and completed his course work and subsequent dissertation, 'Accommodating Asperger's: An autoethnography on the learning experience in an E-learning music education program,' while at LaGrange High School.

As an arranger and composer, Dr. Farrell has written for many prestigious college bands (including Auburn University and The University of Michigan) and championship high school programs. He has many published arrangements and compositions for Marching Band, Concert Band, Choir, Brass Ensembles, and Church Choir & Orchestra. He has also scored several works for television and video games and worked in the recording industry as a studio arranger and musician.

Dr. Farrell is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Kappa Kappa Psi. He has also served as an adjudicator for marching and concert festivals nationwide.

He is married to the former Kelli Richard, the Finance Director for Harmony House, whom he met while they were in the Auburn Band. They have a daughter, Savannah, a college student.