Chattooga‌ ‌Band‌, In All Its Glory! ‌ ‌

The following article is published with the permission of Chattooga High School’s Indian Lore. 

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The Chattooga‌ ‌High‌ ‌School ‌band‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌ ‌long‌ ‌history‌ ‌of‌ ‌winning‌ ‌awards‌ ‌and‌ ‌being‌ ‌top‌ ‌in‌ ‌their‌ ‌class.‌ This‌ ‌year‌, ‌Chattooga’s Marching Indians‌ ‌theme‌ ‌is‌ ‌”Simply‌ ‌Country”.‌ ‌The‌ ‌drum‌ ‌major‌, ‌Rebecca‌ ‌Sharp,‌ ‌says,‌ ‌¨I am‌ ‌excited‌ ‌to‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌opportunity‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌leadership‌ ‌position‌ ‌and‌ ‌hopeful‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌many‌ ‌success‌ ‌my‌ ‌band‌ ‌will‌ ‌have‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌future.¨‌  ‌When‌ ‌asked‌ ‌what‌ ‌is‌ ‌a drum‌ ‌major‌, ‌she‌ ‌responded‌ ‌with,‌ ‌¨Although‌ ‌there‌ ‌are‌ ‌many‌ ‌specific‌ ‌definitions‌ ‌for‌ ‌this‌ ‌title,‌ ‌my‌ ‌definition‌ ‌is‌ ‌guiding‌ ‌my‌ ‌band‌ ‌not‌ ‌only‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌field‌ ‌but‌ ‌also‌ ‌helping‌ ‌them‌ ‌be better‌ ‌individuals‌ ‌off‌ ‌the‌ ‌field‌ ‌as‌ ‌well.¨‌ When ask‌ed how she felt about the halftime show, Ms. Sharp ‌stated,‌ ‌¨the‌ ‌half‌ ‌time‌ ‌show‌ ‌is‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌my‌ ‌favorite‌ ‌part‌s ‌of‌ ‌Friday‌ night‌ ‌lights.  ‌This‌ ‌year‌, ‌we‌, ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌band‌, ‌decided‌ ‌that‌ ‌having‌ ‌a‌ ‌fun‌ ‌show‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌great‌ ‌way‌ ‌to‌ ‌relieve‌ ‌some‌ ‌stress‌ ‌considering the‌ ‌circumstances”.

‌ ‌Next‌, the Indian Lore spoke with Band Director, Gene‌ ‌Greer,‌ ‌about the song ‌choices‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌halftime‌ ‌show. He stated that, selections chosen were: ‌¨Thank‌ ‌God‌ ‌I‌ ‌Am‌ ‌A‌ ‌Country‌ ‌Boy,‌ ‌Sunshine‌ ‌On‌ ‌My‌ Shoulders,‌ ‌Turkey‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Straw,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Country‌ ‌Roads‌ ‌Take‌ Me‌ ‌Home were the ones chosen this year.¨‌ ‌Then‌ ‌he‌ ‌was‌ ‌asked,‌ ‌how‌ he‌ ‌comes‌ ‌up‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌theme‌ ‌each‌ ‌years‌ ‌as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌songs,‌ ‌¨I‌ ‌get‌ ‌an‌ ‌idea‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌start‌ ‌working‌ ‌with‌ ‌it,‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌will‌ ‌bounce‌ ‌it‌ ‌off‌ ‌the ‌kids,‌ ‌most‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌time‌ ‌they‌ ‌hate‌ ‌it,‌ ‌but‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌time‌ ‌I‌ ‌get‌ ‌finished‌ ‌with‌ ‌it‌ ‌they‌ ‌are‌ ‌like‌ ‌ooh‌ ‌this‌ ‌is‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌fun,‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌strictly‌ ‌a‌ ‌product‌ ‌of‌ ‌my‌ ‌imagination.¨‌ ‌

Being‌ ‌an‌ ‌award‌ ‌winning‌ ‌band,‌ ‌the Indian Lore asked‌ ‌about‌ ‌this‌ ‌years‌ ‌competition ‌season,‌ ‌Mr. Greer‌ ‌responded‌ ‌with,‌ ‌¨There‌ ‌are‌ ‌no‌ ‌band‌ ‌competition‌s ‌available‌ ‌to‌ ‌even‌ ‌go‌ ‌to,‌ ‌now‌ ‌that‌ ‌may‌ ‌open‌ ‌up‌ ‌a‌ ‌little‌ ‌bit‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌couple‌ ‌of‌ ‌weeks‌ ‌as‌ ‌schools‌ ‌and‌ ‌states‌ ‌begin ‌to‌ ‌open‌ ‌back‌ ‌up.¨‌ ‌

By: Lela‌ ‌Hughes‌ ‌ ‌