did bud ever find his dad?

No, Bud never does find his father by the time that the story ends. Bud is convinced that Herman E. Calloway is his father. Bud believes this because his mother kept some flyers of him and his band. Bud figures that his mother wouldn't have done this for some random man. Bud's logic is not far off. It turns out that Herman Calloway is a relative, he just isn't Bud's father. Herman E. Calloway is Bud's grandfather. I would like to add that there is another possibility of why Bud's mother was hanging on to those flyers of Calloway and his band. Readers learn that Bud's mother ran off with an earlier drummer from the group. We never find out this man's name; however, we do know that he is Bud's father.