Formerly the Director of Bands and the Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, John Lamkin, II, received his Bachelor's Degree from South Carolina University, his Masters from Morgan State University and his Doctorate from the University of Maryland College Park. All degrees in Music Education.

A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Dr. Lamkin taught in the public school system in South Carolina and Baltimore, Maryland before joining the faculty at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. During his tenure at UMES, Dr. Lamkin was instrumental in attracting many jazz icons work and perform with his students. Some of those musicians included Wynton Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Robin Eubanks, Steve Turre, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, the late Shirley Scott and the late Stanley Turrentine. Dr. Lamkin has also served as a clinician, guest conductor, festival adjudicator, and the promoter/organizer of the Eastern Shore High School Jazz Ensemble Festival, staged at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Not only is Dr. Lamkin a professional educator and a professional trumpeter player who is equally an adept in classical, jazz and sacred genres. His performance credits include events with The Manhattans, Stephanie Mills, Maurice Hines, Sonny Stitt, Frank Foster, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Keter Betts, the African American Jazz Caucus Big Band, The Dells and the Sunshine Band. Locally, Lamin has performed with The Zim Zimeral Orchestra, Baltimore City Big Band, the Harvey Levy Band, the Whit Williams Big Band, and the Peabody Jazz Ensemble. Dr. Lamkin has also performed with his own jazz and jazz/rock groups in various nightclubs, concert halls, festivals, parties, weddings and music series.

Dr. Lamkin has also performed as a solo classical trumpeter with his Sacred Jazz Quintet, his brass ensemble and as Guest Conductor with many churches in the Baltimore/Washington area including All Saints Church, Grace Presbyterian, Heritage Baptist Church, Union Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant Ministries, Waylon Baptist Church and many more.

In 1984, John Lamkin recorded his only album, "Hot," on which he wrote all but one of the compositions.

Currently, Dr. Lamkin regularly performs with his "Favorites" Jazz Quintet. Enamored by the 1950s, 60s and 70s jazz quintets led by At Blakey, Horace Silver, Miles Davis and many others, Lamkin's quintet specializes in presenting a repertoire of "straight ahead" jazz standards and originals. The name "Favorites" refers to the jazz music that he prefers to all others as well as the many local musicians he selects to perform in his band due to their exceptional musical artistry and depths of friendship. His group serves as a platform for area musicians who yearn, as he does, to play "straight ahead jazz." The band can be heard regularly every Thursday at Phaze 10, a Baltimore area restaurant and lounge that regularly features live jazz entertainment. In addition to his performance schedule, Dr. Lamkin serves on the faculty of Sojourner Douglass College as an adjunct professor teaching a Jazz Appreciation course. Dr. Lamkin received the "2014 Jazz Heroes Award" from the Jazz Journalist Association for having a significant impact on jazz music in the Baltimore community.