Marching Chiefs
Encyclopedia
Since 1949, the name Marching Chiefs has served as the official title of the marching band of The Florida State University
. The Marching Chiefs is the largest college marching band in the world with approximately 470 members.
as the new college president. 1946 saw the first option for students to take marching band for credit.
In 1947 the Florida State College for Women officially became Florida State University
and the university was changed to coeducational by an act of the Florida Legislature. With the change to a coed school came the introduction of a male football team which competed in a five-game season. The marching band performed at the games and practiced on Landis Green under Robert Smith. 1949 saw a new director for the band, Robert T. Braungel, and the new, official name of "Marching Chiefs. The name was chosen by a newspaper survey sponsored by the Student Government Association. The first appearance of the newly christened Marching Chiefs was at Stetson University
. Dr. Manley R Whitcomb became the new director of the Marching Chiefs in 1953 after transferring from Ohio State University
and joining the FSU faculty. Dr. Whitcomb brought with him a talented young arranger by the name of Charles Carter who became the official arranger of the Marching Chiefs. Carter's arrangements gave the Marching Chiefs a distinctive style that survives to this day. Whitcomb also brought with him the traditional eight-to-five step, fast marching tempos, and the high step with arm swing now known as "Chief Step."
The 1949-50 football season saw the Seminoles'
and the Marching Chief's first appearances in a postseason bowl game at the Cigar Bowl
in Tampa, FL. 1954 marked the Seminoles next appearance at in a bowl at the Sun Bowl
in El Paso, Texas
. The Miami Daily News proclaimed, "FSU's bid to Sun Bowl clinched by Marching Chiefs." In the spring of 1955 FSU received a charter of Kappa Kappa Psi
honorary band fraternity. The brothers of KKPsi, as the organization is commonly known, produced a newsletter named The Chieftain which aimed to keep band members informed of upcoming events and activities. In 1956 Charlie Carter arranged J. Dayton Smith's The Hymn to the Garnet and the Gold for band. The Charlie Carter arrangement had its premier performance at the 1958 homecoming game.
The in-state rivalry of the Seminoles and the Gators
began with their first match in 1958. It was not until 1964 that the annual game alternated between schools. 1974 was a big year for the Marching Chiefs. It saw Richard Mayo, an FSU alumnus and former drum major
, take over direction of the Chiefs in a year in which membership grew to over 200 students. The Marching Chiefs were also finalists in the Best College Marching Band contest on ABC-TV which established their reputation as one of the nation's finest marching bands. It also was the year that the Marching Chiefs took on the titled of "World-Renowned." The Chiefs performed at the International Trade Fair
in Damascus, Syria as a guest of State Department
. While in the Middle East
, Chiefs performed in Amman, Jordan as a command performance
for King Hussein.
Color guard auxiliary was added in 1970. 1976 was the one-year term of William Raxdale as director of the Chiefs. He introduced a corps-style drill which included the glide step. The Chiefs performed the same show at every game during the '76 football season. Bentley Shellahamer, another Chiefs alumnus, took over directorship and reinstated the Chiefs' traditional style of marching. In 1978 Chiefs performed their second of many NFL
performance during a game for the New Orleans Saints
. Chiefs surpassed 300 members during the 1981 football season which was marked by a trip to Ohio State University. Dr. Whitcomb conducted the combined bands in a performance of the National Anthem
which Dr. Shellahamer described as the "ultimate experience." 1981 was also the year that alumnus Dave Westberry took on the role of the "Voice of the Marching Chiefs." The next year Andre Arrouet became interim director while Dr. Shellahamer took leave to work on his doctorate at Ohio State.
In 1982, Sports Illustrated
featured the Marching Chiefs in an eight page picture spread in which it was declared that, "Florida State occasionally may lose a football game, but never a halftime show" (December 6, 1982). This is the origin of the unofficial nickname of the Marching Chiefs as "The band that never lost a halftime." Also in 1982 was the addition of the yearly Prism Concert to be included with the annual Tri-State Band Festival and Conducting Conference. Dr. Shellahamer resumed directorship in 1984 and Chiefs, along with the Gator Band
performed at Super Bowl XVIII
in Tampa, FL. 1988 saw the Marching Chiefs hit another membership milestone when it reached 400 students, thus making Chiefs the world's largest collegiate marching band. In 1989 Chiefs got a new director, Robert Sheldon, and new uniforms. Though not successful at the time, there was an effort by band members to dedicate the Chiefs' practice field the Manley Whitcomb Memorial Field.
1991 began the current era of the Marching Chiefs. Patrick Dunnigan gained directorship of the band and was instrumental in the production of the Chiefs' first CD, Our Best Foot Forward. Though currently commonplace, the CD was the first end-of-season CD recording of a college marching band. The next year was Charlie Carter's 40th year at FSU and was celebrated by a special halftime show in his honor. 1993 was another momentous year, beginning with a trip to East Rutherford, New Jersey
for the Kickoff Classic
against the University of Kansas Jayhawks
. Doak Campbell Stadium was also renovated before this season including a section was added in the south end zone for the Chiefs and the new "Elephant Doors" underneath the section. The Homecoming Show celebrated 50 years of bands at FSU. To end the season the Marching Chiefs participated in FSU's first National Championship
win over the University of Nebraska Cornuskers
.
The Chiefs renewed their "World-Renowned" title in 1997 when they traveled to London, England to perform a halftime show for a game of the World Football League
's London Monarchs
. The following season Dunnigan took leave to pursue a doctorate at the University of Texas and Dr. John L. Baker served as interim director. In 1998 the Marching Chiefs found themselves heading to Tempe, Arizona
for another shot at the National championship
but lost to the Tennessee Volunteers
in the Fiesta Bowl
. The newly hooded Dr. Dunnigan returned for the 1999 season which ended with a National Championship win against the Virginia Tech Hokies
in the Sugar Bowl
.
Though the movement had begun long before, in 2002 the Marching Chiefs' practice field was named in honor of Manley Whitcomb. In 2005, a donation of over $350,000 was made to the university by Bill Harkins for a new practice field for the Marching Chiefs. This allowed Chiefs to start off the '05 season with a new, artificial turf field to march on. The field, Bill Harkins field at the Manley R. Whitcomb Band Complex, is an exact replica of the appearance of Bobby Bowden Field
on game day complete with Seminole head. This new field replaced a grass field which was known for less-than-ideal conditions. In 2009 The Marching Chiefs hit 460 members allowing it to retain the title as the world's largest collegiate marching band.
The band institutes an "alternate" system due to the number of members and the limitations of drill. Members declared alternates share their field position with another member and perform the pregame and/or halftime show every other football game. The number of alternates varies by section and by year.
Marching Chiefs rehearse for two hours on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm. On game days, the band has early morning Continuity rehearsals to review the halftime show and pregame.
Indian Tribe, incorporating designs and colors representative of traditional tribal attire.
1did not complete season
Flutes: "Chiefs Flutes"
Clarinets: "Pieces"
Alto & Tenor Saxophones: "Section X"
Mellophones: "Hornz"
Trumpets: "Screech Squad," commonly referred to as "Screech"
Baritones: "T.O.N.E. Quality (TQ)," commonly referred to as "Tones"
Trombones: "The Roamin' Bones," commonly referred to as "Bones"
Sousaphones: "The Royal Flush," commonly referred to as "Flush"
Percussion: "The Big 8 Drumline," commonly referred to as "Big 8"
Auxiliary consists of Color Guard, Majorettes and Feature Twirler(s)
Show/Technical Support: "Glue Crew"
Each individual section has its own set of history and traditions, some with their own colors, mottos, symbols, songs, pre-game rituals and/or crests.
"Come On and Go" - This is a pregame tradition which the band opens with. The drumline begins by playing the cadence "Come On and Go" as the band high steps out onto the field from under the stadium. As the cadence progresses, the band performs a double-time high step known as "Go Cadence" onto the field.
"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" (Retired)- This was a tradition that started in the early 1980s when the Chiefs were under the direction of Dr. Bentley Shellahamer. As the Florida State football team was finishing its on-field pre-game warm up exercise routine, the Chiefs joined the team's vocals. As they finished, the players lined up shoulder to shoulder on the fifty-yard line, held up their helmets and walked in a side-by-side line toward the North end zone as the Chiefs played the "main title" theme
from the 1966 film "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
" which has been arranged into "G.B.U.", an extended intro which then leads into the playing of the "FSU Fight Song," or the "Warchant" (or "War Chant"). Even though this tradition is retired, the Chiefs still play "G.B.U." in the stands.
"'Flushing' The Field" - The Royal Flush, during every pregame performance, "flushes" the field by running around the Seminole head logo at the center of Bobby Bowden Field while the head drum major stands at the center of it. As the rest of the band transitions to the team entrance formation, The Royal Flush follows and the entire band ends the exit cadence by counting aloud the number of Flush members and ending with "Flush!" This can be heard on each and every recording of the Exit Cadence.
"Roamin' The Stadium" (Retired)- The Roamin' Bones "roam" the stadium during 3rd or 4th quarter and perform different arrangements from the Bone Book, their collection of musical charts written specifically for the Roamin' Bones. The Roamin' Bones no longer roam the stadium.
"The Hymn To The Garnet & Gold" - Most Chiefs will agree that their favorite school song is what is commonly known as "The Hymn". When Florida State University was looking for an alma mater, several composers sent in their contributions. The Hymn did not make it as the official FSU Alma Mater, but it lives and thrives as a long-standing school tradition, as the Chiefs sing it at the end of every game.
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. The Marching Chiefs is the largest college marching band in the world with approximately 470 members.
History
The first appearance of a formal band was organized in the late 1930s by Charlotte Cooper, Jean Hitchcolk, Allice Ludlaw, and director Owen F. Sellars. The band, which consisted of less than twenty students, performed at the Odds and Evens intramural football game on Thanksgiving Day 1939. The following year the Florida Flambeau ran an announcement of try-outs for the now established band. In 1942 Sellars took military leave for World War II and Frank Sykora became the interim director. The same year uniforms were purchased and worn for the first time at the inauguration of Doak S. CampbellDoak S. Campbell
Doak Sheridan Campbell was president of Florida State College for Women, as it made the transition from an all-female school under that name to the coeducational Florida State University, between 1941 and 1957.-Early life:...
as the new college president. 1946 saw the first option for students to take marching band for credit.
In 1947 the Florida State College for Women officially became Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
and the university was changed to coeducational by an act of the Florida Legislature. With the change to a coed school came the introduction of a male football team which competed in a five-game season. The marching band performed at the games and practiced on Landis Green under Robert Smith. 1949 saw a new director for the band, Robert T. Braungel, and the new, official name of "Marching Chiefs. The name was chosen by a newspaper survey sponsored by the Student Government Association. The first appearance of the newly christened Marching Chiefs was at Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
. Dr. Manley R Whitcomb became the new director of the Marching Chiefs in 1953 after transferring from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
and joining the FSU faculty. Dr. Whitcomb brought with him a talented young arranger by the name of Charles Carter who became the official arranger of the Marching Chiefs. Carter's arrangements gave the Marching Chiefs a distinctive style that survives to this day. Whitcomb also brought with him the traditional eight-to-five step, fast marching tempos, and the high step with arm swing now known as "Chief Step."
The 1949-50 football season saw the Seminoles'
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and the Marching Chief's first appearances in a postseason bowl game at the Cigar Bowl
Cigar Bowl
The Cigar Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game featuring small college teams held in Tampa, Florida from 1946 to 1954. It was played at Phillips Field, which was located across the Hillsborough River from downtown Tampa at the current site of Tampa Preparatory School and Julian Lane...
in Tampa, FL. 1954 marked the Seminoles next appearance at in a bowl at the Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. The Miami Daily News proclaimed, "FSU's bid to Sun Bowl clinched by Marching Chiefs." In the spring of 1955 FSU received a charter of Kappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
honorary band fraternity. The brothers of KKPsi, as the organization is commonly known, produced a newsletter named The Chieftain which aimed to keep band members informed of upcoming events and activities. In 1956 Charlie Carter arranged J. Dayton Smith's The Hymn to the Garnet and the Gold for band. The Charlie Carter arrangement had its premier performance at the 1958 homecoming game.
The in-state rivalry of the Seminoles and the Gators
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
began with their first match in 1958. It was not until 1964 that the annual game alternated between schools. 1974 was a big year for the Marching Chiefs. It saw Richard Mayo, an FSU alumnus and former drum major
Drum Major
A drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major, who is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or corps, is responsible for providing commands to the ensemble regarding...
, take over direction of the Chiefs in a year in which membership grew to over 200 students. The Marching Chiefs were also finalists in the Best College Marching Band contest on ABC-TV which established their reputation as one of the nation's finest marching bands. It also was the year that the Marching Chiefs took on the titled of "World-Renowned." The Chiefs performed at the International Trade Fair
Trade fair
A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
in Damascus, Syria as a guest of State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. While in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Chiefs performed in Amman, Jordan as a command performance
Command Performance
Command Performance is a radio program which originally aired between 1942 and 1949. The program was broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network with a direct shortwave transmission to the troops overseas. It was not broadcast over domestic U.S...
for King Hussein.
Color guard auxiliary was added in 1970. 1976 was the one-year term of William Raxdale as director of the Chiefs. He introduced a corps-style drill which included the glide step. The Chiefs performed the same show at every game during the '76 football season. Bentley Shellahamer, another Chiefs alumnus, took over directorship and reinstated the Chiefs' traditional style of marching. In 1978 Chiefs performed their second of many NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
performance during a game for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. Chiefs surpassed 300 members during the 1981 football season which was marked by a trip to Ohio State University. Dr. Whitcomb conducted the combined bands in a performance of the National Anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
which Dr. Shellahamer described as the "ultimate experience." 1981 was also the year that alumnus Dave Westberry took on the role of the "Voice of the Marching Chiefs." The next year Andre Arrouet became interim director while Dr. Shellahamer took leave to work on his doctorate at Ohio State.
In 1982, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
featured the Marching Chiefs in an eight page picture spread in which it was declared that, "Florida State occasionally may lose a football game, but never a halftime show" (December 6, 1982). This is the origin of the unofficial nickname of the Marching Chiefs as "The band that never lost a halftime." Also in 1982 was the addition of the yearly Prism Concert to be included with the annual Tri-State Band Festival and Conducting Conference. Dr. Shellahamer resumed directorship in 1984 and Chiefs, along with the Gator Band
The Pride of the Sunshine
The University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band, also known as The Pride of the Sunshine, is the official marching band for the University of Florida. They play at every Florida Gators home football game in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and also performs at various other events such as pep...
performed at Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
in Tampa, FL. 1988 saw the Marching Chiefs hit another membership milestone when it reached 400 students, thus making Chiefs the world's largest collegiate marching band. In 1989 Chiefs got a new director, Robert Sheldon, and new uniforms. Though not successful at the time, there was an effort by band members to dedicate the Chiefs' practice field the Manley Whitcomb Memorial Field.
1991 began the current era of the Marching Chiefs. Patrick Dunnigan gained directorship of the band and was instrumental in the production of the Chiefs' first CD, Our Best Foot Forward. Though currently commonplace, the CD was the first end-of-season CD recording of a college marching band. The next year was Charlie Carter's 40th year at FSU and was celebrated by a special halftime show in his honor. 1993 was another momentous year, beginning with a trip to East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
for the Kickoff Classic
Kickoff Classic
The Kickoff Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey from 1983 to 2002.-History:...
against the University of Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. Doak Campbell Stadium was also renovated before this season including a section was added in the south end zone for the Chiefs and the new "Elephant Doors" underneath the section. The Homecoming Show celebrated 50 years of bands at FSU. To end the season the Marching Chiefs participated in FSU's first National Championship
Bowl Coalition
The Bowl Coalition was a predecessor of the Bowl Championship Series that was formed through an agreement among college football bowl games and conferences for the purpose of forcing a national championship game between the top two teams and to provide quality bowl game matchups for the champions...
win over the University of Nebraska Cornuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
.
The Chiefs renewed their "World-Renowned" title in 1997 when they traveled to London, England to perform a halftime show for a game of the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
's London Monarchs
London Monarchs
The London Monarchs were a professional American football team in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football . The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs...
. The following season Dunnigan took leave to pursue a doctorate at the University of Texas and Dr. John L. Baker served as interim director. In 1998 the Marching Chiefs found themselves heading to Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
for another shot at the National championship
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
but lost to the Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
. The newly hooded Dr. Dunnigan returned for the 1999 season which ended with a National Championship win against the Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
.
Though the movement had begun long before, in 2002 the Marching Chiefs' practice field was named in honor of Manley Whitcomb. In 2005, a donation of over $350,000 was made to the university by Bill Harkins for a new practice field for the Marching Chiefs. This allowed Chiefs to start off the '05 season with a new, artificial turf field to march on. The field, Bill Harkins field at the Manley R. Whitcomb Band Complex, is an exact replica of the appearance of Bobby Bowden Field
Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium
Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium is the football stadium on the campus of the Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. It is the home venue for the university's football team, nicknamed the Seminoles. The stadium was named for Doak S...
on game day complete with Seminole head. This new field replaced a grass field which was known for less-than-ideal conditions. In 2009 The Marching Chiefs hit 460 members allowing it to retain the title as the world's largest collegiate marching band.
Try-outs and Rehearsals
Aspiring members of the Marching Chiefs complete a week of Preseason Training that begins with a music audition. Following the music audition is a process of learning how to march as a Chief for rookies and a three-day refresher for veterans. After being taught how to march, the week concludes with the marching audition. The playing audition and marching audition each account for 50% of the total audition score which assists in completing the official Marching Chiefs "Block List." Anyone who wishes to be a member of the Marching Chiefs in a given year, new and returning, must audition to be in the band each year.The band institutes an "alternate" system due to the number of members and the limitations of drill. Members declared alternates share their field position with another member and perform the pregame and/or halftime show every other football game. The number of alternates varies by section and by year.
Marching Chiefs rehearse for two hours on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm. On game days, the band has early morning Continuity rehearsals to review the halftime show and pregame.
Drum Majors
Drum Majors and Assistant Drum Majors of the Marching Chiefs fulfill ceremonial as well as musical positions of leadership within the band. One of the most significant and visible responsibilities of the Drum Major is the pre-game strut, which includes a 40-yard strut and mace toss prior to the beginning of the Marching Chiefs' pre-game show. This tradition began with Jim Bruce during his tenure as Drum Major in the late 1970s. Over the years, Marching Chiefs added the position of Assistant Drum Major (and later a second) to serve as an additional field commander and conductor. For halftime and special appearances, the Drum Major dresses in a uniform designed in the likeness of the SeminoleSeminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
Indian Tribe, incorporating designs and colors representative of traditional tribal attire.
| Season | Head Drum Major | Assistant Drum Major | Assistant Drum Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Herschel Beazley | ||
| 1970 | George Rosete | ||
| 1972 | Tom Drick | ||
| 1973 | Tom Drick | ||
| 1974 | Robert Duke | ||
| 1975 | Robert Duke | ||
| 1976 | Chris Dickinson | ||
| 1977 | James Bruce | ||
| 1978 | James Bruce | ||
| 1979 | James Bruce | John Thompson | |
| 1980 | Ken Williams | Craig Lawrence | |
| 1981 | Ken Williams | Joe Bowens | |
| 1982 | Keith Peterson | William Faucett | |
| 1983 | William Faucett | Joseph Little | |
| 1984 | William Faucett | Rodney Dorsey | |
| 1985 | Rodney Dorsey | Paige McKay | |
| 1986 | Rodney Dorsey | Steven Oser | |
| 1987 | Rodney Dorsey | Mary Lyle Scott | |
| 1988 | Tyrone Adkins | Claudine Cacioli | |
| 1989 | Tyrone Adkins | Claudine Cacioli | |
| 1990 | Claudine Cacioli | Gregory Johns | |
| 1991 | Rojay Evans | Gregory Johns | |
| 1992 | Gregory Johns | Jonathan Schwartz | |
| 1993 | Jonathan Schwartz | Daniel Oser | |
| 1994 | Michael Chiaro | Brad Wharton | |
| 1995 | Amie Benedetto | Eric Allen | |
| 1996 | Brad Wharton | Eric Allen | Amie Benedetto |
| 1997 | Eric Allen | David Hedgecoth | Kelly Monroe |
| 1998 | David Hedgecoth | Cindy Henman | Ernesta Suarez |
| 1999 | Chad Temple1 | Jeremy Brewer | Jonathan Richards |
| 2000 | Jonathan Richards | Jason Millhouse | Charlie Rankin |
| 2001 | Jason Millhouse | Gabriel Arnold | Troy Paolantonio |
| 2002 | Gabriel Arnold | Jason Millhouse | Jonathan Richards |
| 2003 | Ryan Kelly | Jessey Howard | Joey Monahan |
| 2004 | Jessey Howard | Christopher Cannon | Christina Dimitry |
| 2005 | Christopher Cannon | Jeff Chamlis | David Jackson |
| 2006 | David Thornton | Jeff Chamlis | Mark Shilling |
| 2007 | Mark Shilling | Jodi Chapman | Daniel Farr |
| 2008 | Daniel Farr | Jodi Chapman | Philip Magyar |
| 2009 | Michael Weintraub | Daniel Taylor | Andrew Vrzal |
| 2010 | Jennifer Mammino | Brittni Bailey | Andrew Dubbert |
| 2011 | Andrew Dubbert | Keith Griffis | Bradley Parks |
1did not complete season
Sections
The Marching Chiefs' instrumental sections are known by its members by their own specific names and are as follows:Flutes: "Chiefs Flutes"
Clarinets: "Pieces"
Alto & Tenor Saxophones: "Section X"
Mellophones: "Hornz"
Trumpets: "Screech Squad," commonly referred to as "Screech"
Baritones: "T.O.N.E. Quality (TQ)," commonly referred to as "Tones"
Trombones: "The Roamin' Bones," commonly referred to as "Bones"
Sousaphones: "The Royal Flush," commonly referred to as "Flush"
Percussion: "The Big 8 Drumline," commonly referred to as "Big 8"
Auxiliary consists of Color Guard, Majorettes and Feature Twirler(s)
Show/Technical Support: "Glue Crew"
Each individual section has its own set of history and traditions, some with their own colors, mottos, symbols, songs, pre-game rituals and/or crests.
FSU Marching Chiefs Traditions
"Skull Session" - The Chiefs perform together at a pregame "Skull Session" before each home football game in Tallahassee. When Manley Whitcomb came to Florida State University from Ohio State University he brought several traditions with him, one of those being the "Skull Session." The idea is that the Chiefs get the music into their skulls before the game and can focus more on the marching and visual performance during the game. Originally, Skull Session was held in Opperman Music Hall but has since become a public performance. Now, performing on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium (located next to Doak Campbell Stadium), the Chiefs perform section cheers and then go on to give the audience a sneak preview of the day's halftime show selections. Most section cheers tend to be either well-known pop songs, opportunities to poke fun at school opponents/other sections or inside jokes. All cheers are arranged by students who are current/alumni Chiefs."Come On and Go" - This is a pregame tradition which the band opens with. The drumline begins by playing the cadence "Come On and Go" as the band high steps out onto the field from under the stadium. As the cadence progresses, the band performs a double-time high step known as "Go Cadence" onto the field.
"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" (Retired)- This was a tradition that started in the early 1980s when the Chiefs were under the direction of Dr. Bentley Shellahamer. As the Florida State football team was finishing its on-field pre-game warm up exercise routine, the Chiefs joined the team's vocals. As they finished, the players lined up shoulder to shoulder on the fifty-yard line, held up their helmets and walked in a side-by-side line toward the North end zone as the Chiefs played the "main title" theme
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (theme)
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is the theme to the 1966 film of the same name, which was directed by Sergio Leone. Included on the film soundtrack as "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ", the instrumental piece was composed by Ennio Morricone, with Bruno Nicolai conducting the orchestra. A cover...
from the 1966 film "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
" which has been arranged into "G.B.U.", an extended intro which then leads into the playing of the "FSU Fight Song," or the "Warchant" (or "War Chant"). Even though this tradition is retired, the Chiefs still play "G.B.U." in the stands.
"'Flushing' The Field" - The Royal Flush, during every pregame performance, "flushes" the field by running around the Seminole head logo at the center of Bobby Bowden Field while the head drum major stands at the center of it. As the rest of the band transitions to the team entrance formation, The Royal Flush follows and the entire band ends the exit cadence by counting aloud the number of Flush members and ending with "Flush!" This can be heard on each and every recording of the Exit Cadence.
"Roamin' The Stadium" (Retired)- The Roamin' Bones "roam" the stadium during 3rd or 4th quarter and perform different arrangements from the Bone Book, their collection of musical charts written specifically for the Roamin' Bones. The Roamin' Bones no longer roam the stadium.
"The Hymn To The Garnet & Gold" - Most Chiefs will agree that their favorite school song is what is commonly known as "The Hymn". When Florida State University was looking for an alma mater, several composers sent in their contributions. The Hymn did not make it as the official FSU Alma Mater, but it lives and thrives as a long-standing school tradition, as the Chiefs sing it at the end of every game.