The youngest of three Big Red Band trumpet-playing brothers, Ben Brunt first became interested in band mainly because his brothers Clayton and Thomas were in Big Red.
“I saw what they did, and I wanted to do it also. However, sometime in junior high I wanted to quit because I was more interested in sports, but my mom wouldn’t let me. I stuck it out, and I liked it by the time I got to high school. I still played sports, but I never wanted to quit band again,” Brunt said.
At one point, all of the brothers were in the band at the same time.
“That was a very special time for me. I’ve certainly seen two siblings in the band, but I can’t recall three brothers being in the band at the same time. We were all on the trumpet line, and that was fun,” said Brunt.
All three Brunt brothers were in the band at the same time.
Submitted photo.
Brunt also recalls learning a lot from being in the band.
“People don’t classify it as a team sport, but it really is when you think about it. Like any other sport, you lay your problems aside and work together. Band has definitely helped make me a different person and taught me to be myself,” he said.
As a matter of fact, Brunt liked band so much that he eventually tried out for drum major.
“I saw my brother Thomas be drum major, and that made me want to do it, too. It was a good fit for me, and I really enjoyed it,” said the 2019 KHS graduate.
Brunt has many wonderful memories of being in band, among those winning the state championship in both 2016 and 2018.
“The most memorable time for me was winning the Skipworth award in my senior year,” he said.
He is very excited about the Skipworth Performing Arts Center.
“It’s a great idea. We need stuff of this magnitude to bring performances to Kosciusko. I think it will be really good for the town,” Brunt said. “I was in junior high when we performed in the old auditorium and it wasn’t in the best shape. Then it closed during my high school years, and the band had to perform in the gym. The band definitely needs a place with an orchestra sound like in an auditorium to perform. That acoustical sound just can’t be mocked anywhere.”
Brunt has been keeping tabs on the project’s progress.
“I follow the KFEE Facebook page, and I’ve been keeping up with the updates to the auditorium. It looks great, and I am looking forward to seeing it competed,” Brunt said.
A junior at Mississippi State, Brunt is studying Business Administration.
“There are a lot of things that I can do with a Business Administration degree. Right now, I work part time at Walmart, and I may stay with it and work my way up into management. However, I’ve not decided yet,” he said. “I am also interested in real estate, insurance, and risk management. I tend to change what I might focus on, but I’ve got time to decide.”
