The Famous Maroon Band is a

marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military sty ...

Mississippi State University Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi, Un ...

Starkville, Mississippi Starkville is a city in and the county seat of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, Starkville's population is 24,360, making it the 16th-most populated city in Mississippi. Starkville is the largest ...

. The Famous Maroon Band plays at all

Mississippi State Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States. It is classified among "R ...

home football games and sends at least a pep band to a majority of the football away games (except for ones that are too far to travel to, such as when Mississippi State played at Arizona in 2022). Typically, the full band also travels to bowl games, the

Egg Bowl The Egg Bowl (traditionally named the “Battle for the Golden Egg”) is the name given to the Mississippi State–Ole Miss football rivalry. It is an American college football college rivalry, rivalry game played annually between Southeastern ...

against the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...

, and at least one other away game per season. The band was formally established in 1902 at what was then called Mississippi A&M College and was a

military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind instrument, wind and percussion instruments. The conducting, conductor of a ...

, as was the college at the time.

"Famous" name

The name "Famous Maroon Band" was coined in the 1930s after an incident that led to the 40 members of the band being called the "Famous Forty". At the time of an A&M vs.

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

football game, the bands participated in a band contest with the winner taking home a trophy. Unbeknownst to the Alabama band, the A&M band had brand new non-military themed uniforms and after the A&M band performed first to thunderous applause the Alabama band refused to play. The band still has the trophy on display in the band room and the forty members of the band were thenceforth nicknamed the "Famous Forty". Later on in the 1930s a sportswriter referred to the band as the "Famous Maroon Band" and the name stuck.

Traditions

The Junction

In the university's new Junction area outside

Davis Wade Stadium Davis Wade Stadium, officially known as Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field is the home venue for the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team. Originally constructed in 1914 as New Athletic Field, it is the second-oldest stadium in the Football ...

, the Famous Maroon Band performs and cheers on the crowds and the team at Dawg Walk. The MSU Drumline also performs in exhibition in front of the Leo Seal M Club Centre two hours before kickoff. One hour before the game begins, the band parades through the Junction into Davis Wade Stadium.

Pregame

Before kickoff at

, the band performs its annual pregame show. An entrance video is shown on the video board while the percussion section takes the field. The band then runs onto the field to the pregame cadence, followed by the MSU Fanfare. The band scatters into the MSU spellout and plays the MSU 2K cheer, followed by Hail State and Madelon, the original fight song for Mississippi State. The band then plays a patriotic song that is changed every few years, currently American Celebration (You're a Grand Ole Flag), during the presentation of the colors, which is followed by the Star Spangled Banner. The band then scatters into the STATE spellout while Davis Wade Stadium erupts with ringing cowbells. The Go State cheer is played, followed by Hail State and The Hey Song, which concludes the performance. As the team enters, Hail State is played one more time before exiting the field.

Halftime

During halftime, the band performs selected songs which all have a specific theme and style. The band also features special performances, like High School

Band Day Band Day refers to an annual marching band festival or competition, usually intended for high school bands. Background High school marching bands are invited onto a university campus to rehearse with and play alongside the university marching ban ...

, the Alumni Band, and the annual "Salute to America" patriotic spectacular, which honors veterans and current men and women serving in the armed forces. After each performance, the band plays some form of cheer (usually Go State or Hail State) before exiting the field.

External links

Famous Maroon Band Homepage

References

{{SEC Marching Bands Mississippi State University Southeastern Conference marching bands Musical groups established in 1902 Musical groups from Mississippi 1902 establishments in Mississippi