Pride of the Southland Band
Encyclopedia
The Pride of the Southland Band is the official name of the University of Tennessee
's marching band
.
s. The band continued to grow to between thirteen and seventeen members, and in 1892, it was reorganized under Ernest H. Garratt.
The band wore West Point
-style uniforms like the rest of the cadets in the Military Department and had a more varied instrumentation, including a clarinet.
At the turn of the twentieth century, William A. Knabe was appointed as band director. He was the first “full-time” band director; Ernest H. Garratt had also served as an organist
, choir
master, musical director, and director of the Glee Club
. UT won the first (documented) game at which the band performed in 1902.
By 1917, the band had changed to World War I
style uniform
s and doubled in size. The band grew along with the military units on campus. By 1935, the band boasted eighty-five members, but remained all male due to the band’s continued association with the Military Department. In 1937, an all-female contingent called the "Volettes" began performing with the band. Its membership ranged from fifty to ninety.
The 1940s brought women into the band. One of the first women to play with the band was Martha Carroll, who played the lyre, and a marimba player named Marjorie Abbott. By 1946, women outnumbered the male members of the band, due to World War II, and the lack of male students. By 1949, the band was once again all male, but retained female majorettes. Major Walter Ryba was properties master for the Army
and Air Force
ROTC at Knoxville and also for the Army ROTC at the University of Tennessee-Martin campus. By 1950, the band was already being referred to as “The Pride of the Southland”—a term coined by Knoxville
sports writer, Ed Harris.
In 1961, Tennessee native W. J. Julian was hired as an associate professor and director of the UT bands. Under Julian's leadership the band grew in size, prestige, and reputation. The band was then removed from the ROTC department and placed under the Music Education Department. Julian also designed the band’s signature navy, orange, and creme-colored uniforms, which paid homage to the band’s military past and are still a tradition to this day. Some of the many traditions established under his direction are the pregame formations, opening the T, Rocky Top, and Circle Drill.
Although Julian retired in 1993, the band still upholds the tradition of excellence he set. The "Pride of the Southland" has gained a national reputation for excellence due in part to its many appearances across the nation. Besides representing the State of Tennessee in the last twelve presidential inaugurations, the band has appeared at the many bowl games the Tennessee football team has traveled to throughout the nation.
In March 2007, The Pride traveled to Dublin, Ireland
, to play at various concerts and in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
The current Director of Bands is Gary Sousa. The Associate Director of Bands is Donald D. Ryder. The Assistant Director is Michael Stewart.
The Pride's famous pregame show was designed by Julian with exclusive musical arrangements by Warren Clark and Barry McDonald. This six minute and forty-five second show has remained largely unchanged since the 1960s. It begins with a "Tennessee Waltz" variation in common time, followed by, starting in the 2007 season, a march version of "Tennessee River", then the "Alma Mater March". As they march back playing the Alma Mater march they pay tribute to "the greatest football fans in the country" by spelling out VOLS. Then in the spirit of sportsmanship the visiting team's fight song is played in the direction of the opposing team's band and student section. After this, the band forms the traditional floating "U" and "T" and marches this across the majority of the field accompanied by "Rocky Top". The pregame show continues to build in excitement as the "Power T" is formed and all the Vols fans are asked to join in the Volunteer Wave and the crowd spells out "V-O-L-S" and chant "Go Vols Go!" Then the Pride of the Southland's Drum Major
runs through the middle of this formation. In the 2010 season, the drum major did not run through the "Power T," but the tradition was picked back up the next season. The band then marches across the field until it reaches the opposite end zone. At this point, "Stars and Stripes Forever" is played and the band forms a large "USA" to the visiting sideline, then inverts the form to face the front sideline.
Pregame reaches its most thrilling point with the "Opening of the T" where the football team runs through a block T on to the field and to their sideline. This is one of the most photographed moments in college football and one of the greatest traditions of the "Pride", Tennessee football, and the University of Tennessee.
Although the T formation is used almost exclusively at Tennessee home games in Neyland Stadium
, it has been done at other venues, most notably at the 1986 and 1991 Sugar Bowl
.
" in a halftime show in 1972, after which it made its way to the stands. The football crowd loved the tune and its words; the more the band played it, the more people wanted it. It has now become one of the University's best-known traditions and one of the band's most famous songs.
Its popularity also extends far beyond the campus of the University of Tennessee; "Rocky Top" became one of the Tennessee state songs in 1982. To acknowledge the impact that UT and the "Pride" had on their careers, when writers Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1986, Julian was invited.
Contrary to popular belief, "Rocky Top" is not Tennessee's official fight song, although it is so closely identified with the university that many believe this to be the case. Tennessee's official fight song is "Down the Field". It is quite common for the band to end playing Rocky Top and the crowd to continue singing the chorus into the next play.
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
's marching band
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...
.
History
The Pride of the Southland Marching Band has been performing at halftime for more than one hundred years, but has existed since 1869 when it was founded as part of the Military Department. It is one of the oldest collegiate band programs in the country. Its instrumentation in 1883 was entirely made up of cornetCornet
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. The band continued to grow to between thirteen and seventeen members, and in 1892, it was reorganized under Ernest H. Garratt.
The band wore West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
-style uniforms like the rest of the cadets in the Military Department and had a more varied instrumentation, including a clarinet.
At the turn of the twentieth century, William A. Knabe was appointed as band director. He was the first “full-time” band director; Ernest H. Garratt had also served as an organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
master, musical director, and director of the Glee Club
Glee club
A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...
. UT won the first (documented) game at which the band performed in 1902.
By 1917, the band had changed to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
style uniform
Uniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
s and doubled in size. The band grew along with the military units on campus. By 1935, the band boasted eighty-five members, but remained all male due to the band’s continued association with the Military Department. In 1937, an all-female contingent called the "Volettes" began performing with the band. Its membership ranged from fifty to ninety.
The 1940s brought women into the band. One of the first women to play with the band was Martha Carroll, who played the lyre, and a marimba player named Marjorie Abbott. By 1946, women outnumbered the male members of the band, due to World War II, and the lack of male students. By 1949, the band was once again all male, but retained female majorettes. Major Walter Ryba was properties master for the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
ROTC at Knoxville and also for the Army ROTC at the University of Tennessee-Martin campus. By 1950, the band was already being referred to as “The Pride of the Southland”—a term coined by Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
sports writer, Ed Harris.
In 1961, Tennessee native W. J. Julian was hired as an associate professor and director of the UT bands. Under Julian's leadership the band grew in size, prestige, and reputation. The band was then removed from the ROTC department and placed under the Music Education Department. Julian also designed the band’s signature navy, orange, and creme-colored uniforms, which paid homage to the band’s military past and are still a tradition to this day. Some of the many traditions established under his direction are the pregame formations, opening the T, Rocky Top, and Circle Drill.
Although Julian retired in 1993, the band still upholds the tradition of excellence he set. The "Pride of the Southland" has gained a national reputation for excellence due in part to its many appearances across the nation. Besides representing the State of Tennessee in the last twelve presidential inaugurations, the band has appeared at the many bowl games the Tennessee football team has traveled to throughout the nation.
In March 2007, The Pride traveled to Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, to play at various concerts and in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
The current Director of Bands is Gary Sousa. The Associate Director of Bands is Donald D. Ryder. The Assistant Director is Michael Stewart.
Pregame
Drum Major
A drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major, who is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or corps, is responsible for providing commands to the ensemble regarding...
runs through the middle of this formation. In the 2010 season, the drum major did not run through the "Power T," but the tradition was picked back up the next season. The band then marches across the field until it reaches the opposite end zone. At this point, "Stars and Stripes Forever" is played and the band forms a large "USA" to the visiting sideline, then inverts the form to face the front sideline.
Pregame reaches its most thrilling point with the "Opening of the T" where the football team runs through a block T on to the field and to their sideline. This is one of the most photographed moments in college football and one of the greatest traditions of the "Pride", Tennessee football, and the University of Tennessee.
Although the T formation is used almost exclusively at Tennessee home games in Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several NFL exhibition games. The stadium's official capacity is 102,455...
, it has been done at other venues, most notably at the 1986 and 1991 Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
.
Rocky Top
Vol fans can also thank Julian, via Walter McDaniel, for introducing "Rocky TopRocky Top
"Rocky Top" is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year...
" in a halftime show in 1972, after which it made its way to the stands. The football crowd loved the tune and its words; the more the band played it, the more people wanted it. It has now become one of the University's best-known traditions and one of the band's most famous songs.
Its popularity also extends far beyond the campus of the University of Tennessee; "Rocky Top" became one of the Tennessee state songs in 1982. To acknowledge the impact that UT and the "Pride" had on their careers, when writers Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
Felice Bryant and Boudleaux Bryant were an American husband-and-wife country music and pop songwriting team best known for songs such as "Rocky Top," "Love Hurts" and numerous Everly Brothers hits, including "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Bye Bye Love".-Beginnings:Boudleaux was born Diadorius...
were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
in 1986, Julian was invited.
Contrary to popular belief, "Rocky Top" is not Tennessee's official fight song, although it is so closely identified with the university that many believe this to be the case. Tennessee's official fight song is "Down the Field". It is quite common for the band to end playing Rocky Top and the crowd to continue singing the chorus into the next play.