September 12, 2022
By: Bill Conger
The DeKalb County High School Fighting Tiger Band is Superior! That’s how judges at the 39th Annual Upper Cumberland Marching Band Festival scored the D.C.H.S. band overall. Drum Major Serenity Burgess and the percussion section also scored “Superior” while the color guard received a score of “Excellent.”
Due to inclement weather, the contest was held Saturday inside the Cumberland County High School gym. 13 bands from the area were featured. Judges gave either a “Superior” for bands scoring from 85 to 100 and an “Excellent” for a score between 70-84. The band is under the guidance of Band Director Don Whitt, Assistant Band Director Erica Birmingham, Guard Instructor Shannon Johns, and Guard Assistants Emily Wallace and Destiny Battaglia.
“I think they did exceptionally well,” Director Don Whitt said. “I was very pleased. It seems like when they perform in front of a crowd, they just want to show off what they can do. They all have their different personalities, and they have a lot of fun doing it. I think that’s what makes it.”
The “Back to the Future” theme features music from the 70s and 80s including Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” Van Halen’s “Jump,” and Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”
“Overall, it’s a very entertaining show,” Whitt adds. “I can see a lot of heads today at the competition bopping up and down and so many kids were waving at the and saying they loved their music.”
The band will return to Crossville Friday night to perform at halftime of the football game against the Jets. The next band competition is scheduled for September 24 in Trousdale County at the Yellow Jacket Invitational.