Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, May 7, 2006

As the spring semester ends and our thoughts turn toward the fall, we think of football and the opportunity to see our Warhawks in exciting games as they march to a Sun Belt championship.

One cannot, however, think of football without immediately thinking of the marching band and its pre-game, halftime and post-game shows, as well as playing to keep the ULM crowd in the game. Marching band and football - the very soul of campus spirit during the fall semester. Every marching band has its own unique sound, history and name. For example, the Purdue All-American Marching Band is so named because the halftime announcer, commenting on the band's performance at the 1935 game against Northwestern - they had strung lights on their uniforms and the stadium lights were turned off for their show - called them a real "All American Band." The name fit perfectly and remains today.

The ULM marching band is known as the "Sound of Today." According to Jack White, band director emeritus, the name arose during a contest in the early 1970s to find a name for the band. He received a brochure from a music company advertising arrangements that would "give your band the sound of today." He realized that the name fit perfectly and named the band the Sound of Today. White, telling the story last week said, "It gives me goose bumps just recalling it."

What is now the Sound of Today began with 23 student musicians Sept. 21, 1932. Their picture in the 1933 Chacahoula shows a group of young men (women didn't appear in the band until 1942) dressed in suits and proudly holding trumpets, trombones, clarinets and drums. E. Lowery Jefferson was their first director.

It is fitting to honor this original band by listing the names of its members: Dale Cobb, Robert Taylor, David Hunt, Harold Miles, Willard Fisher, J.F. Jones Jr. (secretary-treasurer), Lloyd Guy, Ernest Brossett, Carl L. Wood, Frank Wadsworth, Harold Wilenzick, Wallace Olmstead, Vincent Fazio, W.A. McConnell (president), W.W. Sullivan Jr., Alfred Boyd (vice president), Ernest Guy, J.A. Sullivan, Byron Bayne, Keeney Devereux, Harold Hunt, Raymond Masling and J.T. Lewis. Students Louise Grymes and Gladys McGee served as sponsors.

This band played at football games on Oct. 7, Nov. 11 and Nov. 24, 1932, at the new T.O. Brown Field and gave a public concert Feb. 15, 1933.

Over the years there have been a number of directors of the marching band including, in order, Jefferson, Harry Lemert, Ralph Reschar, Harvey Nelson, Francis H. Burke, Joe Barry Mullins, B. Mack Hearne, Lowery Riggins, White and Steven Pederson. Mullins' and White's service as directors covers a total of more than 31 years. Presently, the Sound of Today is under the capable direction of Derle Long and Myron Turner.

So this fall, come out and wish the members of the Sound of Today a happy 74th anniversary and think about their connection to the sounds of yesterday.

Have a great day at ULM.

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor

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