8 Things that are True if You Marched in The Sound of the South

One of the best decisions I ever made was to join marching band in college. At Troy University, the Sound of the South is not just the band, it is a defining part of the university. With a history reaching back 50 years there is nothing stronger at Troy than the tradition behind the Sound of the South.

1.  Bacon is One of the Major Food GroupsYou know bacon is important when rehearsal has stopped for the director to tell us about a new bacon appetizer at a local restaurant. It has become universally excepted that bacon makes everything better and is expected to be put on every dish.
2. It's Always a "Great Day for Band"We're like the postal service, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Just replace "couriers" with band kids and "appointed round" with drill and there you go. With rehearsals everyday, you get to experience every type of weather possible. Sideways rain, hot sun, lightning; anything is game. And mother nature loves band so much that you can almost bet that by 3:30 Monday thru Thursday in the Fall, the rain will go away and the south Alabama humidity will set in nicely for band practice. 
   
   
3. Dr. Long is the Most Amazing Little Old Man In 1965, Dr. Johnny Long came to Troy and started the Sound of the South. Where would we all be without him? This man has single handedly created something that is nationally recognized and means so much to so many people. In 50 years we have had over 500 people get married that met in SOTS, and I will be one of those numbers in a few months. As a member of SOTS, you also understand the importance of the Stars and Stripes Forever and how it ties to Dr. Long.
   
4. Homecoming is Really One of the Worst Days From an early parade down town, to playing the homecoming chart about 90 times during the presentation of the homecoming court, Homecoming has a very different meaning for the band. Throw in a kick off time of 11:00 or 12:00, and by the time we have finished [an extra long] post game, the band is dead. I'm always amazed when band kids are members of social sororities or fraternities and have to do Homecoming week festivities on top of band stuff, God bless your souls.
5. The New Long Hall is Amazing In 2012, the old Long Hall was torn down to make room for the bigger and better Long Hall, and I must say the year wait was definitely worth it. Within this one building, we can house the choir department, the dance department, and the band department. In the old building, we were lucky to fit the rookies in the band room for rehearsal, forget the entire band, now we can fit the entire 300+ member band in the band room and still be able to move, its amazing. And don't even get me started on having band rehearsal in old Saga, that is a whole other thing completely.
   
6. We Have the Best Secretaries Hands down, Ms. Rhonda and Ms. Amanda are amazing. It never fails if you walk into either office, they always ask how your day has been, and ask about your life in general, because you know, they care! Life in the band world wouldn't run near as smoothly as it does without these two wonderful ladies.
   
7. The Light at the End of the Tunnel is Really a Train By the end of the season life is crazy. By the time you get to November you think you see the light at the end of the semester but then you realize it is a train, and it is coming right at you. There is not only regular classes and band rehearsal, but also learning a new show for Veterans Day (possibly another one too), Veterans Day parade in Montgomery, concert band concerts, and then there are finals and the stress of the end of the semester anyway. But if you can make it to the end of the tunnel, the train turns into Winter Break, and lots of sleeping.
8. We're More than just a Marching Band Webster Definition: Marching Band: (n): a group of musicians who play instruments while marching together at a parade or sports event. What it really is: A group of musicians who play instruments while marching together at a parade or sports event, that becomes your friends, your family, your loves and so much more. The Sound of the South is the group you never thought you would need in life and once you're a part of it, it really does become a part of you. There is nothing like coming back as an alumni to a football game, watching the band play pregame and knowing you will always consider this place home. The amount of pride and goosebumps you get in anticipation during the announcement "Sit back and relax, its the Sound of the South!" and the first note of the fanfare is incomparable to anything else.