Washington, D.C. - Let's Groove ... Can't get enough of that funky stuff ... Can't get enough of that funky stuff ... I said, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa..., yeah ...
Whether its Earth, Wind & Fire or Kool and the Gang, HBCU Bands are rocking the house this season with innovation, marching creativity, rap, ole school songs, and exceptional musicianship that is sure to please any die hard critic or connoisseur that follows the HBCU football circuit.
This posting is not about who is the best ... no contest, as Florida A&M University Marching 100 sets the standards for all others to follow.
The FAMU 100'rd marches 420 members -- all first chair musicians from their respective high schools from all across the United States and have been the innovators of the modern marching bands since 1946, the year that the legendary Dr. William P. Foster, started implementing his vision for college bands.
There is no debate here, as this is my blog!
It's more about the high quality of the HBCU marching band programs, be it small schools like Livingstone, Fort Valley State or Benedict; or median sized programs like Tennessee State, Norfolk State or Prairie View. Or the super-sized programs like Bethune-Cookman, Alabama State, Southern, Jackson State. The outcomes are the same -- exceptional marching performances with superb musicianship that connects with all age groups and genres.
Our favorite teams and bands may differ and that's perfectly OK, but you gotta make it to the nearest HBCU stadium to take in a few of the football games. Ole school, new school, high school, and those that never attended an HBCU -- the band battles alone is worth the price of the tickets and 3-4 hours of entertainment. Plus, a great family atmosphere with out-of-sight B-B-Q ribs, chicken, fried fish, and so forth sold by the local vendors -- are worth all the efforts in fighting the game day traffic to arrive at your favorite HBCU stadium.
Did I mention there is some hellacious football being played by our teams in their battle for conference supremacy?
Most importantly, all the students are the real winners -- for the countless hundreds of hours dedicated to perfecting their craft that brings us so much athletic and musical enjoyment. If you have not experienced an HBCU game day, this is a must see activity before you leave this planet!
Now, let's groove.
-beepbeep
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