Human Jukebox
| The Human Jukebox | |
|---|---|
| School | Southern University and A&M College |
| Location | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Conference | SWAC |
| Members | 220+ |
| Website | Official Human Jukebox website |
The Human Jukebox is the nationally renowned band representing Southern University and A&M College located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Band profile
T. Leroy Davis is credited for establishing Southern University's marching band. Davis served as the band director between 1947 and 1964. He helped organize the first Southern University Band Festival and Band Day and was nationally known for his contributions and achievements in music. Davis was given the title of Professor Emeritus for his many years of service to the university in 1989.[1]
The band is anchored by the Isaac Greggs Band Hall on campus. Dr. Isaac Greggs (Doc) was an award-winning band director and alumnus of Southern University that led the band for 36 years (1969 - 2005). In addition to having the band hall renamed in his honor, he was inducted into the Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame in 2013 and had a display case dedicated in his honor at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016.[2][3]
The Human Jukebox has been consistently recognized as one of the top marching bands in the nation by USA Today, NCAA, ESPN, and Time.[4][5][6][7] The band is highly regarded for its powerful arrangements, extensive song catalog, and entertaining showmanship.
The Human Jukebox has performed at the Super Bowl six times as of 2017 and has a long-standing reputation of making appearances at many types of highly visible and exclusive events.[8] For example, in January 1997, the Human Jukebox performed at the inaugural parade for President Bill Clinton.[9] And in April 2015, the Human Jukebox performed for the grand introduction of Floyd Mayweather in the MGM Grand Arena of Las Vegas for "The Fight of The Century".[10]
Since 1969, the Human Jukebox has been accompanied by The Fabulous Dancing Dolls. Gracie Perkins co-founded the Dolls with Dr. Greggs. The Dolls are best known for their stylish dance uniforms, pristine appearance, and sassy dance style. A notable highlight in Dolls' history is when they were invited to perform with world pop-star Madonna for her live Super Bowl halftime performance in 2012.[11] Also in 2016, four Dolls collectively auditioned and won spots to appear in Beyoncé's highly acclaimed Lemonnade visual album.[12]
One of the most anticipated traditions for the Human Jukebox is the Friday night "Battle of the Bands" versus Grambling's "World Famed" Tiger Marching Band during Bayou Classic weekend in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The annual event draws tens of thousands of alumni, fans, and spectators. Clips of it is aired on NBC's nationally televised broadcast of Saturday's football game. A YouTube video of the Human Jukebox's soulful rendition of Adele's hit single "Hello" from the 2015 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands went viral which resulted in the band garnering overwhelmingly positive press both nationally and internationally citing their excellent performance. The video received over 1 million views in less than two weeks and was one of the nation's top trending topics on social media the week of its release.[13][14] In 2016, Vice Media released a documentary detailing the historical and cultural significance of the Human Jukebox and their annual band battle against Grambling's "World Famed" Tiger Marching band in New Orleans.[15]
The Human Jukebox is one of the most watched collegiate marching bands in the nation with over 110,000 followers on Facebook and several YouTube videos reaching over 1 million views. In addition to their viral 2015 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands performance of "Hello", the band's 2014 rendition of New Edition's "Can You Stand The Rain", march out of the 2013 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands, and drumline battle at the 2012 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands all received over 1 million views.
Band leadership
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Director | Nathan B. Haymer |
| Assistant Director | Brian K. Simmons |
| Assistant Director | Kedric D. Taylor |
| Percussion Instructor | Lornezo Hart |
| Dancing Dolls Sponsor | D'Tara Frank-Malone |
| Media Director | Garrett Edgerson |
| Administrative Coordinator | Sandra Byrd |
| Drum Major ('17-'18) | Tre'Von Ceasar |
| Dancing Dolls Captain ('17-'18) | Danielle Stamper |
See also
- Jackson State–Southern University rivalry
- Honda Battle of the Bands
- Southern Jaguars and Lady Jaguars
References
- ↑ http://contentdm.auctr.edu/cdm/ref/collection/suam/id/1383
- ↑ Leslie D. Rose. "Can Play". DIGBR. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.wafb.com/story/33178769/southerns-dr-isaac-greggs-featured-as-part-of-the-new-smithsonian-museum
- ↑ http://www.nola.com/news/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/01/ncaa_ranks_southerns_human_juk.html
- ↑ http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/106611/main-attraction-in-georgia-southern-game-might-be-the-halftime-show
- ↑ http://humanjukebox5thquarter.com/about-us-2/
- ↑ http://time.com/4051853/southern-university-human-jukebox-marching-band/
- ↑ "SU’s Human Jukebox headed to the Super Bowl - again". Southern University and A & M College. January 12, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/article_4cd0cade-1312-5cd4-80a0-00974ea43b6a.html
- ↑ Quincy Hodges (April 28, 2015). "The Southern University 'Human Jukebox' Marching Band to perform at Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao event Tuesday". The Times Picayune. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- ↑ Olivia LaBorde (February 5, 2012). "SU'S Dancing Dolls perform with Madonna in surprise show". WBRZ. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/The-Legacy-of-Dancing-Dolls-Forever-Dolls-101599224414/
- ↑ http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/11/southern-university-marching-band-does-mind-blowing-cover-of-adeles-hello-bayou-classic
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/6784703/marching-band-adele-hello-cover-bayou-classic
- ↑ https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/vice-world-of-sports-episode-guide-the-bayou-classic