10/8/97

By Janet McCoy (mccoyjl@mail.auburn.edu)

AU BAND CELEBRATES 100TH WITH REUNION; SPECIAL PROGRAM

AUBURN -- When the Auburn University Marching Band takes the Jordan- Hare Stadium field on Saturday, it will be celebrating its 100th anniversary with a special group of alumni cheering them on.

Founded in 1897, the 328-member AU Marching Band is commemorating its centennial with a special half-time program of AU's 1 p.m. Homecoming football game against Louisiana Tech.

The day will also include the Centennial Celebration Alumni Band Reunion. More than 500 alumni are expected to attend a weekend full of activities to celebrate and honor the band.

Festivities begin Friday with a golf tournament followed by a cookout at Grand National Golf course. Saturday's activities will begin with a registration reception with coffee and donuts, followed by playing and marching rehearsals, a quick lunch. At noon, the group will warm up and get ready to march into the stadium to perform in pre-game activities.

Following participation in Miss Homecoming activities at half-time, AU Director of Bands Johnnie Vinson said a special program has been planned to honor three of the former directors of the bands.

Special music is planned, including the playing of an old Auburn favorite, The Auburn Victory March not played by the band since the 1960s. "We're going to be dusting off an old Auburn song and if you were a Auburn person before the 60s then you'll remember it," Vinson said.

"Also, 1897 was also the year John Phillip Souza wrote Stars and Stripes Forever, so we are going to play that as well and finish up with the Alma Mater," he added.

Dave Herbert, who served as band director from 1951-55, will conduct The Auburn Victory March, Bill Walls, who served the band from 1969-90, will conduct Stars and Stripes Forever, and Bodie Hinton, who was director of bands from 1956-69, will conduct the Alma Mater.

For all Auburn fans who want to take a piece of the AU Marching Band with them, a 240-page book, on the history of band is available for purchase from the band office at 844-4166. The book, written Dorothy Wanless with the assistance of Vinson, contains hundreds of photos and historical information about the band.

"This book is a project which had to be done," Vinson said. ". . . We only reach that milestone once."

oct97:AU-band

CONTACT: Vinson, 844-4166.