Behind the Scenes with the Famous Maroon Band

Dec 31, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs band before the game against the Rice Owls at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Mississippi State Bulldogs beat Rice Owls 44 – 7. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

One of the great college football traditions is the marching band. The Famous Maroon Band has been a fixture at Mississippi State football games since 1902. I was able to speak with the director of bands, Elva Kaye Lance, about some of the things we may not know about Mississippi State’s marching band.

Lance has worked with the bands since 1992, and has been director of bands since 2002. There are three directors that lead the way, supervising the efforts of approximately 340 Famous Maroon Band members in 2014.

The Famous Maroon Band’s goal is to be the “soundtrack of the game” as Lance puts it. They want to keep the crowd entertained and into the game while connecting with a broad and diverse range of people who attend football games at Davis Wade Stadium.

That range of people varies from the young and old to everyone in between – and most of them have different music preferences. So how does the band choose the songs they play?

"A student committee from all across the band chooses four or five show ideas and we make sure which the right fit is, and go from there."

A “show”, as you might imagine, is the halftime entertainment. The musical selections vary from game to game but there are always three specific shows that are performed every year.

This year’s shows will include the “Mississippi Music Hall of Fame” (which was played at the USM game) featuring the music of B.B. King, Jimmy Buffett and the like. Also music from the genre of Fantasy films (to be played later this year) and every year there is a patriotic show for the game closest to Veteran’s Day.

The band works extremely hard to prepare for their performances. A week prior to each school year they come to campus for “three-a-days” in the August heat. From 8:30 am – 8:30 pm members of the band are practicing and practicing with only a few hours off for lunch and dinner breaks.

During the school year, the band practices daily from 5-6 pm.

It’s not easy to become a band member either. Three auditions are held – one in each month between January, February and March where members must play required music chosen by the directors, site read music to know they can learn on the fly and music of the student’s choice to showcase their abilities. Percussion and the guard, however, have slightly different auditions due to the nature of their positions.

The band’s roster is chosen by May. Many of those lucky enough to be picked do receive some financial aid – the goal is to at least cover the cost of their books.

There’s no doubt that members of the Famous Maroon Band do it for the love of Mississippi State. But there are also many great reasons to join the band.

The band camp prior to classes serves as a bridge from high school to college for incoming freshman. They are able to meet new people who have similar interests. Band members are heavily involved in campus activities, performing at events like ‘The Drill’ and ‘Cowbell Yell’.

Being in the Famous Maroon Band broadens the experiences – every member of the band attends at least one road game. The pep band consists of 110 people – two buses transport them to away games. For the Egg Bowl in Oxford, however, a full band will make the trip and the same for a bowl game.

Some of the most die hard MSU fans I’ve ever met have been members of the Famous Maroon Band. They have a passion for the team and great appreciation for traditions. Perhaps it’s because they play music every time the team has a positive play, so they are focused in on the action and pulling for the Bulldogs. They also stay until the clock says ‘0:00’ win or lose.

While the band has been a staple of Mississippi State football games for over a century, the advent of mega-video boards has changed the aspects of marching bands.

When I asked Ms. Lance about that, she said video boards were apart of the game experience now. Her belief is that the band’s impact on the game can be felt while the action is going on – energizing the crowd between plays. The video board has its place during other parts of the game.

One thing the video boards have created is the effect of surround sound vs. the directional sound of the band. When people’s ears get used to the loud music and noise on the big board, it can make the band not seem as loud when they begin to play at a later time.

Davis Wade now has two giant video boards with the opening of the newly expanded North endzone this fall. The amount of time allotted for the band to play continues to decrease, but they are still going strong.

The Famous Maroon Band boasts some pretty impressive stats. Currently there are students from 12 different states, but 68% of the band is from Mississippi. There are 155 different high schools represented in the band. Perhaps the most impressive is that 75% of band members graduate in the top 25% of the student population.

Every Mississippi State fan can be proud of the Famous Maroon Band. Their hard work and dedication serves us well on game days. From the pre-game march near the Junction, to the fight song after a touchdown to the halftime show – there is nothing like college football and the sound of the band.