Marching for the President
Today marks an auspicious day in Longhorn Band history: the first of many marches in presidential inauguration parades.
On January 20, 1961, the Longhorn Band made its inauguration parade debut by passing in review in front of President John Kennedy.
More than 50 years later, the 360-member “Showband of the Southwest” remains among the elite collegiate bands in the country. Founded in 1900, its storied past now includes appearances in six presidential inaugural parades: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and both parades for George W. Bush.
The first female drummer of the Longhorn Band, Leah Mabry, remembers taking a test in the airplane bathroom on her way to Kennedy’s parade.
The tosser now known as “Baton Man” during Alumni Band Days, Don Hart, remembers leading the procession as drum major for Johnson’s parade.
We bet there are a lot of other memorable Longhorn Band moments out there, too. Please feel free to share them here.
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