Sharyn Alfonsi reports on the band that desegregated Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans and played through the pandemic.
By Sharyn AlfonsiLast year, Mardi Gras came and went in New Orleans without much fanfare. Because of the pandemic, for the first time in 42 years, the city's world-famous parades did not roll. carefully. Far from the normal parade route we found a high school marching band breaking the silence. They call themselves the"Best Band in the Land." As we first told you last March we call them a story, and a band, you ought to hear.
The competition was fierce. Many of the kids had grown up playing music. Ray Johnson was one of them.Ray Johnson: Oh, no, ma'am. No, not at all. If you-- if you skip practice, th-- you got-- ten dudes lined up to take your spot. The band's founder, Edwin Hampton, was a no-nonsense disciplinarian who created the band's signature style.
Band members say they were urinated on as they passed under balconies. Dr. Kenneth St. Charles was the school's president in 2020. Dr. Brice Miller: For me, it was like, dude, you're about to fall deep into the rituals of the tradition. Ray is, like, the essence of St. Aug.Brice Miller played the trumpet under Hampton, the band's founder, and Johnson in the 90's. His son, Brice, a sophomore, was a familiar name on Johnson's roster. Dr. Brice Miller: Now having my son participating not only in the band, but with your band director, it was a beautiful thing.
The school preaches discipline and the band demands it. The only way to achieve St. Augustine's signature military formations is to stay in line and make sure the guy next to you is, too. Kabrel Johnson: One year ago, is not the same band you see today. I'm not gonna lie, was a little bit less disciplined.
Brice Miller: Like I'm actually proud of him because he's also kinda struggling. You know, he's a professional musician. Can't do none of that, Jazz Fest, can't do anything. But he really loves what he does. But he loves his family more. With just about everything cancelled for a year, it was hard for anyone to find a reason to get dressed. But that's exactly why Ray Johnson had the band do it anyway. And then, directed them to march through the neighborhood.
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