Wildcat Marching Band

Marching band of the University of Kentucky

For the marching band of the University of New Hampshire, see University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. Please help improve it by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent sources. (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

The University of Kentucky Wildcat Marching Band

School| University of Kentucky
Location| Lexington, Kentucky
Conference| SEC
Founded| by 1893
Director| Dr. Shayna Stahl
Members| ~274
Fight song| "On, On, U of K, Kentucky Fight"

The Wildcat Marching Band (WMB) is the marching band of the University of Kentucky, located in Lexington, Kentucky. The WMB performs at all UK home football games and selected away games. The WMB's repertoire ranges from contemporary jazz to classical favorites. Any UK, BCTC, or Transylvania University student, regardless of major, is eligible for membership. The Wildcat Marching Band is directed by Dr. Shayna Stahl.

## Rehearsals

[edit]

Band rehearsals are scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Shively Field. Rehearsals on home game days begin five hours before kickoff and last one to two hours. Game day rehearsals are held at Shively Field or, in case of bad weather, inside the Nutter Field House. No extra rehearsals are scheduled.

## Registration

[edit]

Marching Band, MUC 190, earns one credit per fall semester, which may be used as an elective in any degree program. The Wildcat Marching Band also includes a few students each year from Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) and Transylvania University whom do not field a marching band.

## Early week

[edit]

"Early Week", as UK's band camp is called, is held a week and a half before classes begin and includes extensive training in marching and playing. New members and the student leadership begin a day before the rest of the returning members. The camp runs 9:00am to 9:00pm, with breaks for meals. Time is divided between learning drill at Shively and having indoor music rehearsals. By the end of Early Week, all members have learned their music and drill for Pre-game and the first Halftime performance. In the evenings, there are activities sponsored by Kappa Kappa Psi Theta Epsilon and Tau Beta Sigma Eta Zeta, recent activities have included kickball, an awesome volleyball tourney at Jacobson Park, Band Olympics, and the Annual Pie in the Face competition. The band provides three meals each day, and students living in residence halls are allowed to move in early.

## Travel

[edit]

The band provides a pep band for every away game and travels with the full band to one away game. The Wildcat Marching Band has recently traveled to Georgia, Indiana, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, Tulane, Auburn, Alabama, and Florida and has participated in bowl games, a BOA Regional Championship, a Presidential Inauguration, a World Series and professional football games. Individuals have been selected as members of the Olympic Band, the Liberty All-Collegiate Band, the Disney World All-Star Band, the Collegiate Presidential Inaugural Band, and the Rose Bowl United Way Collegiate Band. Expenses such as lodging, transportation, and meals are provided by the University of Kentucky. There is no cost to the band members.

## History

[edit]

The first recorded marching band at UK was an unofficial "Cadet Band" led by Herman Trost, who had been a bandleader in Sherman's Army in the Civil War and a close friend of John Philip Sousa and was part of a group of immigrants from Germany and Prussia call the Forty-Eighters. Informally affiliated with military training, the band existed by 1893, and possibly as early as 1889.

In 1903, Captain George Byroade, Commandant of the Military Science department, appointed Professor Rucker as band director, creating the first official marching band at UK.

In the fall of 1920, Sgt. John J. Kennedy was hired as band director, and under his direction the band became known as "The Best Band in Dixie".

In the late 1920s, Elmer "Bromo" Sulzer founded the all-female "Co-Ed band", for many years the only such band in the US.

W. Harry Clarke was director from 1968 to 1989. He introduced many new things to the band, including bringing women into the band. Just before Clarke took over, the Band had suffered from low membership and some bumpy times. Within a few years, the "Marching Hundred" turned into a 200-plus member Marching Band. The UK Band was honored during this time to perform at the 1969 Presidential Inauguration of Richard M. Nixon. Clarke also added an Associate Director of Bands in the late 1970s.

W. Dale Warren was the director from 1989 to 1991. Tom Brawner was director beginning in 1991. Richard Clary was the director from 1993 to 1995. George R. Boulden was the director from 1995 to 2008. Carl C. Collins was the director from 2008 to 2011. Scott-Lee Atchison was the director from 2012 to 2016. Dana Biggs was the director from 2017 to 2020. John Cody Birdwell was the director from 2020 to 2021. Shayna Stahl became director in 2021.

The WMB has participated in bowl games, a World Series, and performed for the Cincinnati Bengals on several occasions. The band travels four times a year to away games and was most recently invited to perform in exhibition at the Bands of America Regional Championship in Louisville. In 2008, the WMB participated in the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup in Louisville. Several years ago the WMB was declared one of the "Top Bands in the South" by Southern Living.

## References

[edit]

## External links

[edit]

* A History of the UK Bands
* [1]

* v
* t
* e

University of Kentucky

Located in: Lexington, Kentucky

Academics|

| Colleges|

* Agriculture, Food, and Environment
* Arts and Sciences
* Business and Economics
* Communications & Information
* Dentistry
* Design
* Education
* Engineering
* Fine Arts
* Health Sciences
* Law
* Medicine
* Nursing
* Pharmacy
* Public Health
* Social Work

|

Other|

* Digital Classicist
* Kentucky Geological Survey
* Martin School
* Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
* University of Kentucky College of Medicine
* Sanders–Brown Center on Aging

Athletics|

| Teams|

* Baseball
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Football
* Men's soccer
* club
* Softball

|

Venues|

* Joe Craft Center
* Kroger Field
* Memorial Coliseum
* Proud Park
* Bell Soccer Complex
* Stoll Field

Rivalries|

* Arkansas
* Centre (historical)
* Florida
* Indiana
* Louisville
* North Carolina
* SEC Derby
* Tennessee
* Transylvania (historical)

Related|

* "Big Blue Nation"
* Cheerleading Squad
* Kentucky Fight
* On, On, U of K
* University Club
* UK Sports Network
* Wildcat Marching Band

Campus|

* Alumni Gym Fitness Center
* Arboretum
* Art Museum
* Botanical Garden
* Maine Chance Farm
* Medical Center
* Patterson Office Tower
* Residence Halls
* Singletary Center for the Arts
* Spindletop Hall
* William T. Young Library

People|

* Alumni
* Athletic directors
* Faculty
* Presidents
* Eli Capilouto (President)

Student life|

* Fraternities
* The Kentucky Kernel
* Sororities
* WRFL-FM
* WUKY-FM

Miscellaneous|

* Linux Athlon Testbed
* Solar Car Team
* Transportation Center
* UK King's Daughters

* Founded: 1865
* Students: 30,720
* Endowment: 1.143 billion

* v
* t
* e

Kentucky Wildcats football

Venues|

* Stoll Field/McLean Stadium (1916–1972)
* Kroger Field (1973–present)
* E.J. Nutter Training Facility (practice)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Centre
* Florida
* Indiana
* Louisville: Governor's Cup
* Tennessee
* Transylvania: Battle On Broadway
* Vanderbilt

Culture & lore|

* The Wildcat
* Scratch
* Blue
* "On, On, U of K"
* "Kentucky Fight"
* Marching band
* Bluegrass Miracle
* 2003 Arkansas game
* Big Blue Nation

People|

* Head coaches
* Statistical leaders
* NFL draftees
* Starting quarterbacks

Seasons|

* 1881
* 1882–1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

National championship seasons in bold

* v
* t
* e

Marching bands of the Southeastern Conference

* Million Dollar Band (Alabama)
* Razorback Marching Band (Arkansas)
* Auburn University Marching Band (Auburn)
* The Pride of the Sunshine (Florida)
* Georgia Redcoat Marching Band (Georgia)
* Wildcat Marching Band (Kentucky)
* Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band (LSU)
* Famous Maroon Band (Mississippi State)
* Marching Mizzou (Missouri)
* The Pride of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)
* The Pride of the South (Ole Miss)
* Mighty Sound of the Southeast (South Carolina)
* Pride of the Southland Band (Tennessee)
* Longhorn Band (Texas)
* Fightin' Texas Aggie Band (Texas A&M)
* Spirit of Gold Marching Band (Vanderbilt)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template