Just a Closer Walk With Thee

Grambling State University isn’t in New Orleans but it’s close enough. With deaths in five states mounting and displaced residents popping up all over the U.S., the north-central Louisiana school took a large step towards normalcy recently in Seattle. 

The weekend of events was scheduled before the names Katrina and Rita combined to traumatize a nation. Probably the most famous historically black university in America was coming to the Pacific Northwest for a celebration of music, football and diversity. Then as quickly as those lethal 160 mph gusts made landfall, the significance of the weekend changed—perhaps especially for those in the Northwest who are about as far removed from the Gulf Coast region as possible in the continental U.S.

When GSU flew cross-country—just three weeks after Katrina hit—they instantly represented more than a storied football team, legendary marching band and unique ambassador of higher education. They became a group of people whose lives were directly impacted by disaster.

Timing is everything to a good band.  Unfortunately for the GSU band, their flight was uncooperative in helping them arrive on time to their ‘sneak peak’ performance at Memorial Stadium, which sits directly beneath the Space Needle.  Is it normal for the visiting band to have a free performance the Friday before the game—let alone one that draws several thousand spectators in the middle of the afternoon?

Any preconceived notions of what a college marching band is supposed to be dissipated upon the band’s impressive arrival that included a police motorcade and the musicians themselves donning stylish black traveling suits with sun-reflecting white sneakers. With all the build up and without really knowing what to expect, first time viewers could hardly contain their excitement.

“Grambling is a band that is constantly on the move, playing music and dancing simultaneously,” explained Wayne Greer, a GSU band alum. 

When Greer was with the band in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s they were a traveling band, twice being requested to play in Japan for the CocaCola Bowl.  Besides international performances, the GSU band has played in almost every major American stadium, at every major sporting event, and for presidents and dignitaries alike.

On this particular afternoon the GSU band was playing for, among others, the students from T.T. Minor Elementary School, with which Greer is an administrator and band director of the only grade school marching band in the state of Washington.  Greer said he models T.T. Minor’s band after Grambling’s, usually just showing the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders a video of the band at the beginning of the school year.

T.T. Minor and GSU have something else in common; they are comprised of almost entirely black students.  In a city like Seattle where about 10 percent of the population is African American, a few hundred black musicians performing together will turn some heads. There is no denying that the institution of GSU and their band have come to symbolize one of America’s strengths, diversity. What keeps people turned in their direction isn’t their complexion, however, it’s the impressive display of unison and the absolute commitment to entertaining the crowd.

“One of the things we try to emphasize is discipline, organization and then we will put the pride in there,” said Dr. Pannell, GSU Band Director. “I got doctors and lawyers and everything else in that band, my goal is to get the first black president out of the Grambling Band.”

Despite the glaring prestige that has only been pushed further into mainstream recognition thanks to the 2002 Hollywood film Drumline, it’s hard to imagine a 67,000 capacity stadium selling out for anything other than a football game in America.

Thus was the setting for one of the first Saturday’s in the college football season.  The pseudo home team, Washington State University of the Pac-10 Conference, was set to meet the GSU Tigers of the SWAC Conference. 

Nearly every section of Qwest Field, home to the Seattle Seahawks, was adorned with WSU fans that typically would have to drive several hours east to see their Cougars play.  The home team fed off the exuberant crowd, and on this day the difference between a Division IA and IAA team was clear in the final outcome. 

Football coaches, especially at the NCAA level, are results oriented.  In spite of the lopsided loss, it was clear that GSU Head Coach Melvin Spears felt as if his team had accomplished something more in Seattle than being beaten.

“The main thing about it is that these guys have bonded,” said Spears.  As far as direct impact, Spears said about a dozen of his players, including his starting QB, are from New Orleans. Unfortunately, this is obviously the case for many students, not just those involved with extra curricular activities.   

“It’s hard to picture Louisiana without New Orleans,” said Dr. Pannell.  He further noted that GSU is providing counseling for those students who may need it, but the reality is that much of the day-to-day coping is spent with friends, teammates and especially mentors.

 “When you’re talking about being a head coach at Grambling, you’re talking about being a leader,” said Spears. This responsibility of being a leader has undoubtedly taken on a more significant meaning this season for Spears.  Usually a SWAC haven for NFL prospects, the football team this season is a testament to sheer determination every time they put their pads on.  The typical pre-season preparations for both the band and the football team did not operate under ideal conditions this year. But as the classic euphemism of life puts it, the show must go on.   

The show did continue after the game when the GSU band had an encore performance for the tens of thousands that decided to stay. Those who were impressed enough from the halftime show and those who probably knew better than to leave early were treated to a tuba sectional solo of ‘Just my Imagination,’ which included the all male ensemble harmonizing during the chorus to the synchronized clapping of the crowd. 

As if that wasn’t riveting enough, then the bandleaders appeared with instruments, breaking out into a traditional, New Orleans jazz procession while playing ‘Just a Closer Walk With Thee.’

The outpouring of support from the crowd rivaled anything heard from the stadium all day.  Things only got crazier as the opposing bands, and even a few WSU football players, united on the field for a finale that seemed to never end.   

“They say music can soothe the savage beast,” said Dr. Pannell. “They were doing what they like, and the crowd was appreciating it, and that’s good therapy.”  When asked how often these types of euphoric spectacles happen with his band, Assistant Band Director Charles Lacy simply responded, “Everywhere we go.”

While the blending of crimson and gold band uniforms marked the culmination of the weekend, there was a much quieter interaction that capsulated the reality of life and everything under its umbrella. 

It happened all weekend long, people from the affected region of Katrina saying “how are you” to each other. The words were spoken so delicately and they easily embodied such a distinct sincerity that differed from the everyday greeting. The voice of a Coast Guard Capt. or a Super Bowl MVP became hardly audible.

Within the whispers was the underlying message of GSU’s official slogan, “Where Everybody is Somebody.” Sometimes it can take great loss to remind a person or a nation what matters. And sometimes it can take a group of people doing what they love to help them move forward with their life, cause it’s almost always the best alternative. 

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This article was originally published in Flossin Magazine. This article is edited by Edna Waters. This article is optimized for web by Steven Christian (Artist | Author | Podcaster).