Drum Major, Kosciusko High School Band, 1957-1960At the end of my freshman year, the position of drum major of the high school band came open with the graduation of veteran drum major Rynnie Davidson. After I decided to put my name in the pot, I practiced religiously every afternoon after school in our back yard perfecting my moves in front of an imaginary band playing the opening strains of our signature march, Them Basses. Because I had served as “song leader” at our country church for several years, I already knew how to conduct the various time signatures. I don’t know if practice made perfect, but I was selected as drum major.So for the next three years I had the honor of leading the award-winning Kosciusko High School Band. I wore an off-white wool uniform topped off with a tall furry white “Busby” hat. I recently saw a photo of the 1949 KHS band with my brother-in-law Buster Oliver as drum major, and I’d swear I wore the same uniform and hat that he was wearing!Mr. Thomas Wasson was my band director and was very influential in my life. Unlike bands today which perfect one halftime presentation for the entire football season, Mr. Wasson.had to come up with a different show every week with formations and music for every football game!Highlights through the years included leading the band in the Kosciusko Christmas Parade, the Greenwood Delta Band Festival, and in field maneuvers at the annual State Band Contest. The KHS band scored All-Superior ratings 1957-60.I was a member of the MS Lions All-State Band my junior and senior years and then played French horn for four years in Mississippi State’s Famous Maroon Band. Mr. Wasson also became an MSU faculty member, so I was able to continue my association with him. (As a matter of fact, another former KHS band member Hughey Burchfield and I would babysit the Wassons’ two small boys…for food!)After graduation from MSU, I was accepted at the University of MS School of Medicine. I then returned to Kosciusko where I practiced Family Medicine for 40+ years.Because of support of the KHS band program through the years and our special friendship with director Mickey Grove, Beth and I were invited to serve as chaperones for the MS Lions All-State Band to the Lions International convention in Brisbane, Australia—the trip of a lifetime!
