October 24, 2023
By: Bill Conger
The DeKalb County High School Fighting Tiger Marching Band has kept up its winning streak. Under the direction of Don Whitt, the musical troupe returned October 14 with more hardware for its exemplary show at the Wolfpack Classic at Liberty Creek High School in Gallatin. The band placed second in its class in music effect, visual effect, and overall band for its Heart and Soul/Sounds of Motown show.
“I just wanted to pinch myself because of the way our students performed,” Director Whitt said. “Yes, I picked out a few mistakes here and there, and there were things that I want to clean and fix before the state competition in November. However, it has been very exciting and enjoyable to see the students at the level they are now to where they came from back at band camp in July. This has been a very successful year. I am proud of everyone that has been involved.”
“The students are being consistent in their practice time, and it requires hard work and effort,” Whitt said. “I am seeing maturity and growth. They are working very hard and it shows. The second thing is that this is a fun and exciting show. I am surprised at the people who have come up to me randomly after a performance or at the checkout line at Wal-Mart who have given me very positive feedback on our band’s performance. Several have come up to me and said we love your music. Someone grabbed my arm after we played a half time show and said, ‘That takes me back to a time when I would listen to that song “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” on the radio growing up.’ I was at Wal-Mart and a lady came up to me and said, ’I love your show this year. I remember the time I bought that record just for the song, “When A Man Loves A Woman’.”
In addition to Whitt, Maxwell Patterson is the Assistant Band Director/Percussion Director, and Shannon Johns leads the Color Guard.
“This year we have had a tremendous amount of Senior leadership help and also upperclassmen leadership that have stepped up to the plate. We have some truly remarkably talented individuals in this organization. We have a wonderful group of staff (Max Patterson and Shannon Jones) Band Boosters, volunteers, and parents that have come along and helped me.”
Fans can see the band perform its Heart and Soul/Sounds of Motown show next for the high school’s Open House on Thursday, October 26 at 6 p.m. They’ll play the last regular season football game on Friday night at Upperman High School in Baxter. On November 4th the band will take the field at Stewarts Creek High School at the 42nd Annual Tennessee Division II State Marching Band Championship.