Local bands to march tall on national stage

Editorial
Published: November 21, 2008

We’ve seen them perform at halftime. We’ve seen them pump the football stadiums with spirit, playing from their metal seats.
We’ve watched them impress the judges at numerous contests.

And now we, and the rest of the nation, can watch them on television.

Four area high school bands — Auburn, Smiths Station, Reeltown and Tallassee — will perform next Thursday on the streets of Philadelphia in the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The event will be televised live by FOX 54 beginning at 8 a.m.

It’s an honor for a band to get an invitation to such a national event, particularly one as prestigious as this. It’s even more amazing that our area high school bands will make up nearly one-fourth of all the bands participating.

Only 17 bands will take to the streets — and four call this neck of the woods home.

We’ve got to give a shout out to all of the kids who have tirelessly worked so hard during the summer months not only in preparation for Friday nights where the football teams seemingly get the credit, but also for the out-of-town competitions. Mastering music, marching in unison to its beat and staying in formation isn’t easy.

Kudos go out to those involved in local band programs, from the volunteers to the directors.

Organizing routines with props, raising funds for the program to have the tools necessary to entertain the crowds and master their craft, and logistical work often go unnoticed. Trips across the state, much less Philadelphia, don’t come cheap, particularly in these economic times. Hotels, food and gas must be paid for.

Band boosters make a beautiful sound.

Thumbs up to the parents involved in band programs.

They are more than band parents. That’s a part of them playing the saxophone out there.

As we near the end of the high school football season and several remaining schools have their hearts set on the championship trophy, we must remind folks that local bands earned a trip to an all-star event, so to speak.

Let’s watch and be proud.