The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band is the marching band of the University of Southern Mississippi.
Founded in 1920, the 20-piece brass ensemble has evolved to its current number of 300. Having performed for such events as Franklin D. Roosevelt's inaugural parade in the 1930s, gubernatorial inaugurations, the Senior Bowl Classics and professional and collegiate bowl games, the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band (the Pride) has enjoyed more television and national audience exposure than any other band in the South. Additionally, the Pride has toured throughout the United States and to England and Ireland. Most recently the Pride performed at half time during alumni Brett Favres' Green Bay Packers game in Wisconsin. In 2009, The Pride was selected to march in the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, making it the first university marching band in Mississippi to be selected for this honor.
In 1977 when Jimmy Carter was sworn in as 39th President of the United States in Washington, D.C., the Southern Miss Pride of Mississippi Marching Band was invited by him to be present. Twenty-five members from each college band in Mississippi were selected by their college directors to make up an All-Star Band to represent Mississippi in the inaugural parade in Washington. The band rehearsed in Jackson, Mississippi prior to flying to Washington on the "Peanut Special" (plane that brought the Carter Family to Washington, where they participated in the event).
Although mainly made up of music majors enrolled in the University of Southern Mississippi School of Music, the Pride of Mississippi is open to all students enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi. Scholarships are offered to both music majors as well as non-majors.
The Pride of Mississippi was referred to in the 1980s as the most televised band in the land for being televised on national television numerous times as well as supposedly being placed in the Guinness Book of World Record for this feat.
Famous quotes containing the words pride of, pride, mississippi, marching and/or band:
“However energetically society in general may strive to make all the citizens equal and alike, the personal pride of each individual will always make him try to escape from the common level, and he will form some inequality somewhere to his own profit.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“And still we wear our uniforms, follow
The cracked cry of the bugles, comb and brush
Our pride and prejudice, doctor the sallow
Initial ardor, wish to keep it fresh.
Still we applaud the President’s voice and face.”
—Gwendolyn Brooks (b. 1917)
““Where is the Mississippi panorama
And the girl who played the piano?
Where are you, Walt?
The Open Road goes to the used-car lot.”
—Louis Simpson (b. 1923)
“The chief problem is, of course, whether the marching of the general spirit of things is heading consciously or sub- consciously toward an idea of extension of boundaries.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“Citizen’s Band radio renders one accessible to a wide variety of people from all walks of life. It should not be forgotten that all walks of life include conceptual artists, dry cleaners, and living poets.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950)