Marching Southerners
Encyclopedia
The Marching Southerners is the name for the marching band
of Jacksonville State University
in Alabama. Composed of students from all over the country, the Southerners and Marching Ballerinas perform for thousands each season.
and World War II put development of the band on hold.
After the war, Walter A. Mason became head of the music department at the college. A veteran, he turned to fellow Army musician J. Eugene Duncan who he asked to become the band's first full-time director in 1948.
s, cornet
s and small-bore trombone
s, and replaced them with trumpets and bass trombones: instruments more usually associated with orchestras. The most radical instrumental change was the adoption of the Conn 20-J upright recording bass as the band's lead tuba, and Jacksonville State remains the only university marching band to use this heavy concert tuba on the field. Other musical changes included a departure from military-style marches in favor of slower, more dynamic, orchestral and symphonic, Broadway and Latin jazz
pieces.
Visually, the band abandoned military-style block drill in favor of precision marching and wide-open company front formations: designed to achieve uniformity in step height and body carriage, whilst the company front formation helped to project the sound of the band. Finley also adopted a dance line as a visual focus instead of the majorette
lines seen in more traditional marching bands, christened them the Marching Ballerinas.
Despite the commonly used name ("The Marching Southerners"), according to the JSU
Manual of Style and Usage, Point 7, the official name of the band at Jacksonville State is simply "The Southerners": the "Marching" title only being applied to the Marching Ballerinas.
1951 John T. Finley
1959 John Knox (interim director)
1961 David L. Walters
1991 M. Scott McBride
1994 Kenneth G. Bodiford
2008 Kenneth G. Bodiford, Jeremy Stovall and Clint Gillespie
for U.S. President Lyndon Johnson
1976 National Bicentennial Celebration Parade in Philadelphia, PA
1996 75th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
in New York City, a segment of which appears in the background of an episode of Friends
1999 B.O.A.
Grand Nationals in Indianapolis
2002 B.O.A. Grand Nationals in Indianapolis
They perform regularly at the Bands of America
contest in Atlanta
In 2006, the Marching Southerners celebrated their 50th anniversary with a performance, which included 1,500 former Southerners alumni, at the half time interval during a game against Samford University
.
In 2012, The Southerners will play in the New Year's Day Parade in London, England which will also kick off the 2012 summer Olympics celebrations.
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
of Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
in Alabama. Composed of students from all over the country, the Southerners and Marching Ballerinas perform for thousands each season.
History
The first band at the State Normal School in Jacksonville, Alabama was formed in 1928. At that time, students only attended the school for two years and there was no full-time director, which hindered growth of the band in the early years. In 1930, the college was renamed Jacksonville State Teachers College, reflecting an increased role in higher education for the institution. The Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and World War II put development of the band on hold.
After the war, Walter A. Mason became head of the music department at the college. A veteran, he turned to fellow Army musician J. Eugene Duncan who he asked to become the band's first full-time director in 1948.
Musical and Marching Style
John T. Finley took over the director position in 1951 and immediately made changes to the band's musical and visual style. Finley removed the sousaphoneSousaphone
The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
s, cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
s and small-bore trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, and replaced them with trumpets and bass trombones: instruments more usually associated with orchestras. The most radical instrumental change was the adoption of the Conn 20-J upright recording bass as the band's lead tuba, and Jacksonville State remains the only university marching band to use this heavy concert tuba on the field. Other musical changes included a departure from military-style marches in favor of slower, more dynamic, orchestral and symphonic, Broadway and Latin jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
pieces.
Visually, the band abandoned military-style block drill in favor of precision marching and wide-open company front formations: designed to achieve uniformity in step height and body carriage, whilst the company front formation helped to project the sound of the band. Finley also adopted a dance line as a visual focus instead of the majorette
Majorette
Majorette is a French toy manufacturer which mostly produces small die-cast cars, particularly in 1:64 scale. Traditionally, Majorette was centered in the area of Lyon.-History:...
lines seen in more traditional marching bands, christened them the Marching Ballerinas.
Name
Norman Padgett, a trombone player in the band, suggested the name "The Southerners" for the band, and in the fall of 1956, the Southerners and Marching Ballerinas made their debut.Despite the commonly used name ("The Marching Southerners"), according to the JSU
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
Manual of Style and Usage, Point 7, the official name of the band at Jacksonville State is simply "The Southerners": the "Marching" title only being applied to the Marching Ballerinas.
Directors
1948 J. Eugene Duncan1951 John T. Finley
1959 John Knox (interim director)
1961 David L. Walters
1991 M. Scott McBride
1994 Kenneth G. Bodiford
2008 Kenneth G. Bodiford, Jeremy Stovall and Clint Gillespie
Notable Performances
1965 Inaugural paradeParade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
for U.S. President Lyndon Johnson
1976 National Bicentennial Celebration Parade in Philadelphia, PA
1996 75th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
in New York City, a segment of which appears in the background of an episode of Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
1999 B.O.A.
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
Grand Nationals in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
2002 B.O.A. Grand Nationals in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
They perform regularly at the Bands of America
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
contest in Atlanta
In 2006, the Marching Southerners celebrated their 50th anniversary with a performance, which included 1,500 former Southerners alumni, at the half time interval during a game against Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
.
In 2012, The Southerners will play in the New Year's Day Parade in London, England which will also kick off the 2012 summer Olympics celebrations.
Related competitive units
The Marching Southerners do not engage in competition with other college bands, but Jacksonville State University sponsors several competitive marching and pageantry units that draw their membership in whole, or in part, from the marching band:- JSU Center Stage winter guard, a member of Winter Guard InternationalWinter Guard InternationalSpawning from the organization Drum Corps International , Winter Guard International was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S...
and the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit competing in the Independent Open class. - JSU Diamond Girls, a dance team that competes throughout the SoutheastSoutheastern United StatesThe Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. - An indoor drumline that regularly competes in the marching percussionMarching percussionMarching percussion instruments are specially designed to be played while moving. This is achieved by attaching the drum to a special harness worn by the drummer. The drums are designed and tuned for maximum articulation and projection of sound, as marching activities are almost always outdoors or...
competition at Percussive Arts Society'sPercussive Arts SocietyThe Percussive Arts Society is an international music service organization promoting percussion education, research,performance and appreciation.Established in 1961 as a non-profit, music service organization,...
annual convention (PASIC), which they won in 1999.