Nashville marching bands — their legacy and future

Nashville is home to one of the nation’s most prominent HBCU marching bands: The Aristocrat of Bands (AOB) at Tennessee State University.

The band is revered for its live performances, including at presidential inaugurations, NFL halftime shows and parades. Now they’re blazing a new path with a studio-recorded gospel album, “The Urban Hymnal,” that unites many musical genres. On today’s show we’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story of how that album came to be, learn more about the legacy of the AOB, and talk with current and former members of the band.

Then we’ll look to the next generation of marching bands by hearing from high school band directors and a student musician. With that next generation in mind, Metro Schools is hosting its first “Metro Marching Classic” on Saturday. The free event begins at 5:30 p.m. at John Overton High School and will feature performances by a dozen of the city’s marching bands.

Guests:

• Jewly Hight, WNXP editorial director
• Larry Jenkins, assistant director of bands at Tennessee State University
• AyyWillé, artist, educator, and saxophonist
• Eleni Miller, band director at John Overton High School
• Jamen Jackson, student musician at John Overton High School
• Johnny Croft, band director at Cane Ridge High School

Listen to “The Urban Hymnal”