History of Tiger Marching Band
BAND STARTED IN 1926
The plot began in 1926 when President R.W.E. As the years passed, the script became juicer. So, here is our story: " How a once small, country band became not only the best band in the land, but also a household word...
GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY WITHOUT A BAND? Yes, that was the situation in 1926 when then President Charles P. Adams asked new
faculty member Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones to form a group of marching musicians. Jones, who later served as the institution's President for over 50 years, began the tough task by obtaining 17 instruments from Sears and Roebuck and the Tigers were ready to take their first giant step. At that time, there was no Music Department at Grambling, so sharps, flats, lines, spaces, notes and rest were mysteries to members of that initial group. But the inexperienced Tigers persisted, and soon they were performing their first "melody strained" concert. Later, the action switched from chairs to grassy fields as the tiny group began marching at football games. Since several band members were usually on the grid squad, interesting situations frequently developed. It was a common sight to see Ralph Jones substituting for a band member who had suffered a football injury. Tiger tunes became more sophisticated during the 1930s, and Grambling musicians began to perform at concerts and dances in neighboring towns.By 1936, Jones, affectionately known as Prez, became the President, but he still directed the band and coached baseball. For the musical group to continue its development, Prez decided a full-time director was needed. So " Sarge" A.D. King, former college band leader and big band director, was hired.Tiger musicians were under his direction until 1949 when Langston band leader J.S. " Pop" Lee took over. Faltering health caused the Oklahoma product to step down and trumpet instructor Sheldon Booth filled-in as interim director until Conrad Hutchinson Jr. was hired in 1952. Hutch Jr.," a Tuskegee institute graduate, had directed high school for over 12 years in Mobile, Ala., Covington, Ky., and Cincinnati. The professional musician and jazz band performer frequently performed at theatrical events and stage shows and on television and radio programs. During World War II the multi-talented musician was in charge of the U.S. Army bands in the China-Burma-India Theater. His years of experience would be put to excellent use at Grambling. "BEST BAND IN THE LAND"
When Conrad Hutchinson Jr. arrived here in 1952, he had a plan-to make the Grambling College Marching Band the best in the land. It didn’t happen overnight and it certainly wasn’t easy, but "Hutch" and his staff began molding embryo noise-makers into superb musicians and magnificent marchers. And today, his prized unit is frequently labeled, " The Best in the Land." TIGERS GO "BIG TIME" AFTER SAN DIEGO SHOW
After years of playing front of small crowds in the country, the Grambling band got its first big break in 1964 when it performed at halftime during the American Football Leagues championship game in San Diego. Since transportation wasn’t provided, President R.W.E. Jones paid for charted buses out of his own pocket. The investment paid off on an almost unbelievable scale as invitations began pouring in from across the country. News media personnel labeled the unit, "The band That Never Gets Tired." San Diego Union reporters jumped on the Tiger band wagon. Excerpts from their stories follow:
" If you want to know what many people thought of Grambling’s band, here’s what one of the hundreds who watched the bandsmen enter their buses after the game said. ‘ That band looked better getting on the bus than most bands do on the field." " The band was the best musical group to perform in San Diego at an AFL game." " The Chargers knew they had to be great if they were to prevent the Grambling College band from stealing the show." " The fast-stepping, 104-piece unit provided pre-game and halftime entertainment that was every bit as effective as the Chargers." Following the game, Grambling put on a concert at Lincoln High of San Diego. GROUP ENTERTAINS USO AUDIENCES
Having made a name for themselves in the states, Grambling College band members began developing international reputations in the mid-1960s when the " Mixed Notes" toured numerous foreign countries.
