Electronic Press Kit

History

The band was established in December 1970 as the Tullahoma Kiwanis Community Band and was directed by Ralph James. The first documented performance was on March 23, 1971. The band at that time played mostly marches and concert-style music. They were the featured band at every Fourth of July Kiwanis celebration from 1971 through 1988.

The first mention of the creation of the South Jackson Street Band was in 1987, and it was directed by Bob Carter. Bob continued as director for quite a few years and continued playing with the band as others stepped into the leadership role.

The band is now styled as a big band and plays the hits of yesterday as well as the popular hits of today. Our repertoire of over 400 songs ranges from the sounds of the Glen Miller and Artie Shaw orchestras of the 1930s and 1940s to the contemporary artistry of Gillespie, Elton John, the Beatles, and Billy Joel. The band also handles many styles of music, including swing, Latin, waltz, polka, foxtrot, and even some rock and pop numbers.

Our current members come from all walks of life. Former and current band directors, engineers, physical therapists, store managers, retirees, etc. One thing they have in common is their love of the big band style of music. All are dedicated volunteers, and we rehearse twice a month. The band plays between 4 and 6 gigs a year.We also have a very extensive list of substitute instrumentalists and vocalists that we can draw from if one of our primary personnel is unable to perform.

In the early spring of 2023, we were given a treasure trove of information and documentation from Coleen Saunders, a member of the South Jackson Civic Center and wife of the late Grady Saunders. Grady was a longtime member of the SJS Band. Grady was an engineer and kept meticulous notes and documentation about the history of the band. We are still going through the information, but here is where it all began.

There have been several directors and leaders of the SJS band through the years. The most recent leaders include Brian Guess, Mike Chilcutt, Tom Breese, and Allen Johnson. Ron Hackett currently leads the band.

The list of former members is extensive—too many to name here. However, we do have a pretty comprehensive list of former members, again thanks to Grady, as well as our own current records.

Currently, the SJS Band has a website (SJSBAND.COM), a Facebook page, and a YouTube channel. All of those can be accessed through our website. Our webmaster, Ron Hackett, who is also our guitarist, has done an excellent job of updating our website. There you can find out more about the band, access videos of our previous performances, meet our current members, and even read some of their biographies.

We also provide a digital program for our performances through our website. By scanning a QR code, you can view this program on any mobile device. The program provides the set list for the evening along with pertinent information like the composer, the arranger, and the dance style.This has been a hit with dancers because it helps them plan their dance cards.

We encourage anyone to follow us on our social media sites and subscribe to our YouTube channel and our mailing list. They will be the first to find out about our next performances and when we post new videos.