A buzz fills the air but is quickly silenced. The world seems to stop as each musician stands at the ready. “One, two, three” — and with one nod from the director, music erupts as the band comes to life. A surge of sound and synchronized movement floods the field as the White Station High School (WSHS) marching band begins its performance. Battle of the Bands is a music competition for marching bands worldwide to compete for the title of “best band,” but in Memphis, Tennessee, these battles have found their way to WSHS — this time as Division AA champions. So far in the 2024-25 school year, the WSHS marching band, or the Spartan Legion, has participated in two Battle of the Band events, with more to come. At Whitehaven’s battle, Spartans had the pleasure of reintroducing themselves to the band scene as a school that can not only compete but win.
“It’s cool reintroducing ourselves to other bands,” Tre Suggs (10) said. “[Other schools] knew the past [WSHS] band, but now we have a new sound and new material with [our new director Cozbia Smith] … Having more competitions gives us confidence. We’ve already had two this year and we know we can grow even more; the growth is obvious.”
Smith seemed to come to WSHS hand-in-hand with new methods and practices to push the band, both concert and marching, to new heights. Smith is able to identify problems within the band and give advice on how to improve. Outside of the audible growth of the Spartan Legion, there has been an increase in spirit for many members. Band President, Ellie Carr (11), sees herself as a morale booster, working with other leadership members of the bands to throw parties and events to create a cohesive band community.
“The band has grown in sound and community participation,” Carr said. “We’ve already done more, like a parade and games, and I’ve had people tell me they go to games to see us … We’re playing songs the crowd likes and knows the lyrics to. That creates a connection with the crowd that’s better than what we used to have.”
In their first Battle of the Bands event, the Spartan Legion faced off against schools like Whitehaven, Craigmont High and Jacksonville High in various field show events. WSHS competed in the Division AA class with a middle-sized band group.
“We’re judged on appearance, unity, musicality, tone and timing,” Alan Mason (11) said. “So everything you’re normally judged on in music, plus showmanship and looking cohesive with the rest of the group during performances … [Winning] solidified our confidence in the new director and the direction of the program.”
Although these events are a “battle” in which many schools are judged and scored, more often than not, there is no animosity between teams. Each school comes together to show its growth as a band and see what other schools have to offer. For most, a Battle of the Bands is merely a gathering of those who love to play and enjoy music.
“[Battle of the Bands is] not competitive in the sense of going to a higher level like sports,” Carr said. “It’s more about sharing our music and enjoying it together. [But] going to that first competition allowed us to see what it’s like. We have better insight into what needs to be done now.”
Part of the growth in the band can be attributed to Smith’s excitement. His passion spreads throughout the band and his implementation of a “war mentality” only deepens their commitment and drive for victory.
“This year has been a lot different [for the band],” Carr said. “It’s more of a time commitment, but we have a lot of fun. I feel like I’m learning a lot about how to actually play in a marching band — how to march, the etiquette of competitions and how to go into what he calls ‘battle mode.’ … You need to look professional. March in correctly, get to your spot in a timely manner and don’t let other bands control how you feel — like if they sound really good, don’t let that push your mind away from us sounding good too.”
In their most recent battle in Nashville, Tennessee, although the band was not scored, they seized the chance to measure up against top bands from across the state. This experience allowed them to gauge their growth and performance level on a broader scale.
“In the second Battle of the Bands, it was different — it was in a gym, and we traded songs with the other band,” Suggs said. “At the end, our drumlines had a battle too; it was fun. We got to talk to them, shake hands and there was no bad blood — it was just music.”
Win or lose, the Spartan Legion will continue to evolve with each passing year. Their recent successes have added fuel to their fire, feeding their determination to push harder and go further with every performance.
“If we continue … we’d be held to a higher standard than we were before,” Mason said. “[Winning has] really encouraged our band in a great light. It’s really made us improve more and also given us the confidence that we can play and that we’re not some mediocre marching band.”
