The J.Z. George High School Marching Band has qualified to go to state marching band competition. Band Director Shelby Stapleton said the band received an overall 2 when they competed at Grenada High School.
She said they had to wait for a call from the Mississippi Marching Band Association to see if they would qualify.
“When you receive an overall 1 rating, which is a Superior, you automatically qualify for state, but since we received a 2, we had to wait to see if we could qualify,” Stapleton said.
She said when her students learned they qualified, she had a few girls that cried but they were elated to learn they accomplished their goal of going and realized it was time to get to work.
“When we realized we were going, it was a moment of happiness, but then we realized it was time to get to work,” she said.
Stapleton, who’s been the band director for four years, said this year her band performed “Motown Hits” and their show includes “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5, “Respect” by Aretha Franklin and “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” by the Temptations.
“The one that they’ve really connected with is ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone,’ I have no idea why. I think they just like the beat of it,” she said laughing. Stapleton said when her students come in, they play parts of the show they love and they usually play “Papa was a Rolling Stone.”
“I think it maybe because it was added last, so it’s the freshest, I’m not sure but it’s the one they like the best,” she said.
The band will play in Pearl where they will compete against nine other Class 2A bands and their goal is to bring back the State Championship to J.Z. George.
