I hope you will be able to join us for all the Diamond M Club Homecoming activities for this year!

We've arranged a special room rate for you at the Holiday Inn, which is just on the east side of Central Expressway across from the campus...

...Alumni Band rehearsal Thursday, Nov. 13;

...the gathering out at Blue Mesa following A-Band rehearsal;

..Lunch at Campisi's on Friday @ 11:00am; 

...Pigskin Revue Friday evening (...which I am sure will be the best one yet!); 

...following the Revue will be the reception in the Mezzanine area of McFarlin;

..Saturday is Game Day!

Anytime that Mustang Band alums and fans of the Mustang Band gather it's always a great time!

Join us! It will be great getting to see you again!

Hubba! 

- Roger

What years were you the drum major?

Randy West: 1966-1973; 1975-1976 drum major, football seasons 1967-1972, six seasons; named Assistant Director 1969-1972; 1975-1976.  I was on the field as drum major during the 1967-1972 football seasons and planned and taught the halftime shows then and returned in 1975-1976 planned and planned and taught the shows but not drum major on the field.

Rick Clemmensen: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976; associate director 1976 fall; 1977 spring.

Tom Sleeth: 1977-78, 1978-79.

James Robertson: 1980-1983 (Those were the exciting years of the Pony Express resulting in the Holiday Bowl and Cotton Bowl), I had the privilege to be Dr. Irving Driebrodt's last drum major before he retired. Also, I was Drum Major when Jack Rohr retired and when Tommy Tucker started arranging tunes for the Mustang Band.  A little trivia is that Don Hopkins was in my freshman class and Bob Brandenberger was in the same freshman class as Randy West, a prior drum major. 

Chuck Campbell: Fall of 1983-Spring of 1986

Nate Deurmeyer: 3 years straight, 1993, 1994, 1995 seasons.

Paul Ohanian: 2001-2003 (2 years)

Travis Hill: 2003-2004

Christopher Parks: 2004-2006

Bryan Melton: 2006-2009

Amanda Weise: 2010-2011

Nick Morris: I was drum major of the Mustang Band from fall 2011-spring 2015. (Ed note: that means he's the current drum major! Hubba!)

What instrument did you play?

West: As a freshman, percussion. The drummers were the infamous Squad 7.

Clemmensen: Trombone

Sleeth: Tenor sax

Robertson: I was a tenor sax player, but ever so often Libby and Crabtree would let me sit in as the jazz clarinet player in their Dixieland ensemble.

Campbell: Bass trombone

Deurmeyer: French horn

Ohanian: Trumpet for marching band and bass guitar for basketball and Pigskin Revue

Hill: Drumline, tenors and Master Beater

Parks: Bass Drum, Master Beater

Melton: Alto Sax

Weise: Trombone

Morris: Trombone

What was your hometown?

West: Kerrville, Texas, Tivy High School.

Clemmensen: Houston

Sleeth: Dallas

Robertson: My home town is San Marcos, Texas but I was born in Kerrville, Texas. Some more trivia --- Randy West's hometown high school band director in Kerrville, Texas was my high school band director in San Marcos, Texas and he and Coach were college classmates. 

Campbell: Wichita Falls, Texas

Deurmeyer: I grew up in Houston and went to high school in San Diego.

Ohanian: Franklin, Texas

Hill: Good ole Mesquite, Texas

Parks: Marble Falls, Texas

Melton: Quinlan, Texas

Weise: Houston, Texas

Morris: Round Rock, Texas

What was your favorite song to direct as drum major?

West: Songs, not one song.  The premiering of "Midnight Cowboy" (32 trumpets) and "Lassus Trombone" (with 16 trombones) at Texas Tech to a standing ovation.  And "Midnight" and "Trumpet Blues" (with 32 screaming trumpets) in Austin at Texas University.  Of course, "Shanty" and "Varsity."  And not to forget, setting the then record for playing "Peruna" at the TCU game, from the opening kick off, non stop, til the clock read 00:00 in the fourth quarter and then more, (except for halftime, of course).

Clemmensen: "Shantytown" and "Midnight Cowboy"

Sleeth: Any song with a soloist, i.e. Bill Liebbe or Doug Fitch, since with a soloist, you never knew what they were going to do, so you were really "directing" when the band echoed the soloist

Robertson: I enjoyed all the songs because they were fabulous jazz renditions due to the creative artistic arrangements of Jack Rohr and Tommy Tucker; however, I would say the the "Waring" ending was the best for me - It still sends chills down me every time I hear it.

Campbell: "My Favorite Things," with "Send In the Clowns" a close second.

Deurmeyer: "Maria" or "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Ohanian: "California Dreamin'"  (The Mamas and the Papas Show we did overall).

Hill: I think it wasn't necessarily a favorite song, but I remember the second home game we did a Beatles show.  As a pretty big Beatles fan, that was a blast to be able to hear those tunes come alive in a different way.

Parks: "Shantytown"

Melton: "Barbara Ann" and "Shantytown."  If you never had a chance to see me direct, I could simple sum it up as lively and passionate. I loved my job, and I sure as hell wasn't a robot director. 

Weise: "Armed Forces Salute"

Morris: By far, "Malaguena" is my favorite piece to conduct.  I have a pretty fiery personality, so it matches my intensity very well.  There's so much passion and fire in that piece, and it's a gripping piece to listen to, conduct and, of course, play.

What was the most surprising thing about being a drum major?  What did you not anticipate?

West: Lifetime friendships....even now, you can be thousands of miles apart and can not see or talk to one of the guys for years, and then call him up on phone or see each other at Homecoming, and pick up just like it was yesterday that we were together.  The lifetime impact of a working and personal relationship and friendship with Coach for so many years that lasted for a lifetime.  Two most embarrassing moments: I remember one game after "Peruna" down the field and drum cadence going into a stage, I realized that I had gone to the wrong side of the field for the first feature.  I barely made it across to direct the feature tune, goose stepping, while the drummers were getting us into the stage.  The first game as drum major at Texas A&M, national television, and during the precision drill trying to bounce back my baton off the turf and blowing it three times!

Clemmensen: Writing the marching drills and sets.

Sleeth: The "alone-ness" you felt as you strut out to center field getting ready to "whistle" the band onto the field.  Speaking of whistles, in 1977, in College Station, the Texas A & M band "blew" their T A&M "set" they always do at the end of the show.  They came up to me after their halftime and were about to kill me - they thought that I might have blown the whistle for them at the wrong time, causing them to screw it up.   Although this was a neat idea, I didn't do it; I guess, being Aggies, they managed to screw it up on their own.

Robertson: Nothing was really surprising because - well you know - it's the Mustang Band. Soon after I had retired as drum major and returned to campus for a visit, I was surprised at the respect and appreciation I got from prior and existing band members for my work as drum major while at SMU.  I was very much humbled at the realization of the impact that I had on the guys during my time as drum major of the Mustang Band.

Campbell: The only surprise for me was the sound experienced from being in front of the Mustang Band.  I already had three years of drum major experience (jr. high and the place I don't remember), so I was used to hearing a full ensemble from the front, but that experience did not come close to the sound of the Mustang Band.  Here's a related story.  At the Aloha Bowl, I almost stopped directing after the first three notes of the fanfare because the sound was so clean, so compact, so loud, so powerful, so perfect that I was in total awe.

Deurmeyer: Rock Star Status.....LOL, not really.  Though, it was cool to go places and be recognized as the drum major.  At least I knew that people were watching the Band!!!

Ohanian: How cool it felt to put on the uniform every week before each game.  I'd been in the band for a few years but something felt special about carrying on the tradition.  I did not anticipate how much I missed it after I was done.

Hill: Most surprising thing I think was looking at me as if I was the "main guy" of the band.  While I knew the traditions and enjoyed them, I had an incredible group of freshmen brothers and sisters who held true to all of the traditions, so we got to share the load.  What did I not anticipate?  The amount of cheering from the crowd that would happen as I sprinted across to the other side of the field for a direction change.

Parks: Being so welcome at Kyle Field at A&M.  I remember anticipating that road game and hearing all the rumors about how the Aggies only sit down when the visiting band took the field.  It was the biggest adrenaline rush of my life when I leaped from my podium to race around the band across the field when I heard the roar of 80,000 Aggies rise from the stands.  When we left several aggies stopped me and offered to carry my podium to the trailer.  I was so scared about the performance and it ended up being the most memorable.

Melton: This is a tough one.  Having been drum major in high school for a couple of years, a lot of the surprises had been ironed out. However, I would say that if I were to be surprised about anything, it would be that I never quit learning/improving/developing.  The opportunities to improve and become a better drum major never stopped, and it was vital to recognize this.  I honestly didn't anticipate just how much I would grow as individual/leader during my time as drum major.  It was a very humbling experience that was an absolute honor to be a part of, much to the thanks of the Mustang Band and the directors for all their support. 

Weise: Probably the amount of time you spend before and after events with the directors or getting things organized.  Once you get the hang of it, it is second nature, but the original adjustment was quite a learning curve.

Morris: On the surface, the job doesn't look that difficult.  I was a drum major in high school, and for the most part, that job was pretty simple.  The Mustang Band drum major has to basically be an assistant director; there are many responsibilities we have besides conducting the band.  I've organized gigs outside of normal performances, done interviews with various media, spoken at different events for the band, worked with game operations personnel, as well as other tasks such as opening the band hall at odd hours.

What was the biggest challenge about being drum major?

West: The biggest challenge was having any desire to or even wanting to focus on anything else than the men and the Mustang Band while at SMU.  I thoroughly enjoyed academics,  my major, and student government, but the individual men and the Mustang Band always, always came first.  Getting the men up for the halftime show at Rice every year since it was always a let down after the Texas game, win or lose, (except for the bus trip and overnight to Houston!).  And the same for the TCU game every year after Thanksgiving.  Juggling full academic load and planning and charting out the new halftime shows on Sundays after the Saturday games and being ready for the Monday or Tuesday field rehearsal.  Worrying about finding more scholarship money for the men and for the out-of-town trips and being sure we had a full group of men, at least 100 or a few more so that we could field "96 Guys and a Doll" every halftime.  Lobbying for money from the Student Actiivity Fund and the Athletic Department. The SMU, Texas A&M and Ohio State bands were under tremendous pressure to change their all-male membership.  The Daily Campus was lambasting the Mustang Band and Dreibrodt.  The federal government was putting pressure on the university.  I remember the day it came to a head.  We had to change.  Coach and I were together in the office and I drafted a short statement of the "Open Door Policy" of the Mustang Band for him to release to the press.  Then it was time for band rehearsal.  We all sat around and for the hour and much time afterwards and everyone had their say, pro and con, expressed their intense frustrations and emotions, some cried.  The main concern was that the traditions and standards would be the same for both women and men.  The transition is an attestation to Coach's respect for women, love of the Mustang Band, and his ability to adapt.  But it was a hard day for most.

Sleeth: Getting the guys to calm down from playing grab-ass (at time) and get them to work hard.  As we got closer to Saturday, this seemed to happen more on its own

Robertson: Being a servant leader was the biggest challenge.

Campbell: Getting everyone to take-and stay with-my tempo. :-)

Deurmeyer: I was kind of "young" taking over the drum major duties as a sophomore, so to earn the respect of the upperclassmen was a challenge, but I think it worked out okay.  I was the only drum major to serve under three consecutive Directors, three consecutive years (Brandenberger, White, Kehler), during a time of extreme turmoil and upheaval within the band.  It was rewarding to provide some form of leadership stability for the band for those three years.  Each director had their own ideas about how the band should be run, and wanted to make changes, and I felt like I was often a mediator or negotiator between the band and the new administration to "broker deals."  I think some of the bandsmen would be surprised at how radical some of the ideas for change were, and how muted they were when finally implemented.   

Ohanian: I always wanted to do my best and have the band perform the best possible show, no matter how hard the week was or how the game was going.  The band looks towards you to set the mood, tone, and energy of the day.  It's a big responsibility and it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.

Hill: Encouraging and pushing the band during practices and performances while being on the podium instead of out on the field.

Parks: Getting in enough runs of "Peruna" to keep the band happy without driving Tommy crazy!  I tend to be more of a rule-follower and people pleaser.  Whether David Kehler, Tommy, or Don, I always had a soft spot for my leadership in general in life and wanted to keep them happy with me.  At the same time, the band always wanted more "Peruna"...and faster, and louder, and faster and faster yet.  The gig was really pretty easy and nothing but fun, but juggling my need to please the Directors but also keep the band happy was always "delicate"   

Melton: I would have to say all the behind the scenes work and general preparation. The drum major saw no sick days both on and off the field. There was always work to be done, conflicts to help resolve, or coaching required for some of the bandsmen. I loved every moment, but would admit that it had its stressful times.

Weise: For me, the biggest surprise and biggest challenge were the same. I was still new to SMU being a sophomore drum major, and balancing engineering with my responsibilities to the Mustang Band.

Morris: Learning the ropes was a bit tricky.  Learning them as a sophomore was even more difficult.  Not only did I have to learn the role quickly, but I had to earn the trust and respect of members who had been in band longer than I had.  I've made a lot of mistakes, but I've learned from them, and I've never stopped trying to improve.

What makes a good Mustang Band drum major great?

West: Being a committed, involved freshman who works hard on and off the field and gets to know the upperclassmen and freshmen brothers and demonstrates a genuine desire to do the work necessary for the continued success of the Mustang Band.  Recognition that he can bring that "something" that will add value and contribute to the future success of the Mustang Band.

Clemmensen: Caring about his fellow Mustang Bandsmen.

Sleeth: Leadership in a way which can breed and foster respect, even from those who might not be your best of friends or close companions.

Robertson: I believe that a good drum major comes from being a servant leader with a deep passion of being that spark that ignites the Hub of SMU Spirit - the Mustang Band, while always pursuing espirit de corps, with some command presence and a love for the importance of every member in the band.  Oh yeah, you got to keep the beat - something that Henry Shields, our bass drum player in my first year as Drum Major, bailed me out of many times -- I would at times with adrenalin whistle off an almost quick 220-240 beats a minute at half-time and he would start the cadence off at 180 beats a minute - guaranteed every time.  I was very fortunate to really have a solid percussion corps all during my term as drum major and a solid percussion corps is the foundation behind every successful marching band!  Many a thanks go out to all the guys, but the especially the percussion men and women in the Band that gave me that very special opportunity of serving as their drum major.

Campbell: I'm not really sure what constitutes "greatness."  I feel that every drum major is different and should focus on doing the best job he or she can do in the given circumstances to make the Band better.  In my opinion, if a drum major focuses on how to become great, that drum major will fall short of being an effective leader.  A drum major must always place priority on taking care of business and being an example of what is required to be in the Mustang Band.  Do that without worrying about becoming "great," and let "greatness" take care of itself.

Deurmeyer: The drum major has to be the face of the Mustang Band.  You want the drum major to be a good representation of the Band, the University, and Dallas (when we traveled).  Brian Waddle used to call me and Kathy Gilbert (twirler) "Ken and Barbie," mostly because we were recognized on campus and mixed well with different groups on campus.  The drum major needs to be a great musician, student, and a fan of Mustang football.     

Ohanian: Earning the trust of the band.  Sometimes not just on the field, you are put in situations where you have to lead and direct a group of people that just happen to know how to make awesome music together.  It can be hectic and the band has to follow your direction when confusion sets in.

Hill: Pizzazz. Straight up pizzazz. A good drum major can conduct, empower, and encourage. A great Mustang Band drum major can do it with style. Sadly, I lacked the latter!

Parks: Passion.  Love of the music.  Letting go and letting the intensity of our style take you over.  I always felt like my enthusiasm had to be in the stratosphere in order to expect any acceptable level of energy from the band...and with the Mustang Band "acceptable level of energy" is no laughing matter.  

Melton: Being a leader and role model on and off the field. Contrary to popular belief, being a great drum major is more than just standing up and waving your arms around.  Take an active role in developing band members, become a friend and coach to ALL, hold members accountable to the same standard you hold yourself, and always lead by example. I also spent a lot of time with Don and Tommy ensuring that I helped align to their vision and goals for the year, and years to come.  Spend a lot of time in preparation not only for the music on the field, but everything in between that requires your attention, and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.....yes, that means sometimes carrying your own ladder and other's instruments in a time of need.  

Weise: Always being able to motivate the band to cheer and get into the games. Despite the weather, the team, or being tired. 

Morris: You can be a fantastic drum major and it won't make any difference without great people around you.  I've been blessed with great directors who have served as mentors to me over the last four years.  Our leadership team, especially this year, has been a very valuable asset, as they mentor band members on marching and music.  Every year, we bring in better players, and since I've been at SMU, we've consistently improved as an ensemble.  They make my job very easy.

Did you take any drum major skills into the "real world"?

West: Are you kidding?  LOTS!!!  The Mustang Band was the foundation for my future years of life. The synergy that comes from the idea that "the whole is definitely much greater than the sum of the parts."  The power, explosion of creativity, the "Nothing Stops the Mustang Band." Constantly looking for new ways to create more Esprit de Corps.  Recognizing the explosive, creative, and infectious power of Esprit de Corps.  Recognizing, believing, and feeling that the women and men who make up the organization are the most important assets and capital the organization has.  And as a result, treating them as such both financially and personally.  Purposely creating an environment of informality and openness where creativity and new ideas can come out of interacting with each other outside of a private office.  Like the huge open spaces in the Silicon Valley companies where many a new idea is hatched through casual interaction with each other, playing frisbee, basketball, football, soccer in the hallways.  But being able to "hook 'em up and go to work" when it's time to work.  (Mustang Band could have attested to the value of "play" in the "work space" decades before it became popular.)  Coach's secret formula for success:  demonstrate trust and belief in the men and they will perform and succeed beyond your imagination.  Same in institutions of society.  

Clemmensen: Yes, communication, leadership, commitment, confidence and motivation.

Sleeth: After college, I joined the USMC as an officer.  The leadership skills were invaluable to, and similar to, the skills I learned while in the service.

Robertson: Everyday!  You gotta to know when to "buzz em up," the same goes for the real world.  In fact, the very essence of the passion generated from the spirit that "Nothing Stops the Mustang Band" oozes and drips from the foundational principles of my business organization.  Being drum major of the Mustang Band allowed me to polish those skills, attitudes, and execution that makes me and my business successful.   

Deurmeyer: I still "lead" at work, and I can't help but remember that getting about ten people to do what you want at work is easier than getting 80 or so Bandsmen to do what you tell them!

Ohanian: I feel Mustang Band in general provides great skills for the real world.  Showing up at practice everyday, working hard and making beautiful music is something awesome to be a part of.  Being drum major like any position in the band teaches you how rewarding it can be to work together with different types of people with a common goal.  I find its difficult to explain to coworkers what being in the Mustang Band was like.  Definitely not your "normal" college marching band, so much better!

Hill: Leadership skills. Understanding that for me to reach others, I needed to empower the leaders.  If I could get the squad leaders on my side, then I could get the band on my side.

Parks: Leadership, passion, enthusiasm, and patience are used in my every day life running a small language school in Austin.  Everything I learned to keep morale and momentum on on the field applies in the office, boardroom, or classroom.  

Melton: The skills and life lessons learned during my time as drum major have most definitely translated into my professional and personal life and include but are not limited to: Leadership, teamwork and team building, reliability, time management, accountability, organization, patience, event coordination.  All of these skills have helped me develop and shape my career, as well as define my personality and strengths to make me a better person.

Weise: Absolutely.  Being drum major taught me to be able to take control of a situation and get people motivated to complete a common goal. I use that skill every day at work in my role at TI. 

Morris: Communication is crucial to leading a large organization.  It resolves conflicts and helps the organization advance towards its goals.  It's one of the key skills I've learned from being the drum major, and I've certainly carried it into my summer internships.  The ability to improvise is also invaluable to being drum major; although many events are scripted now, not everything goes according to plan.  Staying cool under pressure and generating results despite obstacles is a very useful skill for a drum major, and it's worked well for me in the real world.

What was your favorite Mustang Band tradition?

West: Probably the most important informal tradition that made the Mustang Band what it was and created the Esprit de Corps during the years I was there was the open office policy of Coach.  Coach, Jack, Cathy Fair, the business manager, and I all officed in one room under the pool.  The men knew they could always drop in at any time and have coffee and talk.  And they did.  It indeed was truly a home away from home.  Alums were especially welcomed to just drop in at any time and Coach would stop whatever he was doing and catch up and reminisce with the alums.  Rarely was the door ever closed.  The men would also play cards and dominoes in between classes and at night at the band hall, and take naps on the grungy couches during the day.  Some guys would study at the band hall.  It was always open til late at night and someone was always hanging around.  The laughs and fun and stories in the Mustang Band lore as a result the formal and informal traditions as well as freshmen pranks... 

Clemmensen: Nothing stops the Mustang Band!!!!

Sleeth: Pigskin Revue

Robertson: The tradition of freshman wearing beanies on campus and of course every end-of-game concert wrapped up with a strong and expressive Rodeo!

Campbell: Blowing away opposing bands - especially in their own stadiums.

Deurmeyer: I always liked the campus tour, the Beanie ceremony, and our collection of "borrowed" souvenirs from game days....

Ohanian: Beanie Ceremony/end of Band Camp.  I make it back to Dallas every few years and whenever I walk by the fountain I still get goose bumps.  I can still remember the excitement throughout the band getting to know a whole new group of friends.

Hill: There are so many!  How can you pick just one?  If I had to choose one (sorry to the rest of the band), I would choose Jon Lee's Q. Every season, Jon would invite all of drumlin over to his house and would cook the most incredible ribs for us.  It helped build fellowship and community in a way outside of the normal rules.  Jon, I'm waiting for my invite for this year.

Parks: I loved "Shantytown."  It never stopped warming my heart every time we played.  

Melton: Way too many to choose from, but if I had to pick one, it would have to be Homecoming week. This week featured not only the return of the annual Pigskin Revue, but it was also a time for the freshman class to leave their mark in the way of the class block.  This week, though stressful, was always one of my favorite.  The first year bandsmen had the opportunity to grow closer as they worked together to design and implement their new block, all while the band prepares for Homecoming on the field and Pigskin in McFarlin. So many good memories.

Weise: Toss-up between guarding campus and horn polishing. 

Morris: Postgame concerts have always been fun for me.  Even if the game turns out lousy, the post game always puts me in a good mood leaving the stadium.  We usually save some of our best charts for that concert, and after that, we close with "Shantytown," "Varsity" and "Peruna" (then Waring). 

Any interesting stories about your uniform - what inspired it, where'd it come from?

West: I guess the whistle is a part of the drum major's uniform.  So I have a story about mine.  My life was greatly impacted by a senior in the band, who wishes to remain anonymous, during my freshman year.  He exhibited an unfailing acceptance, love, and belief in me that I still am grateful for.  A few days before Christmas at the end of my freshman semester, my parents received a phone call, unbeknownst to me, from "Mr. Upperclassman Anonymous."  He had driven four hours from Dallas to Kerrville, my hometown, and was at the Inn of the Hills.  He wanted me to come over to the hotel.  I did so and he presented me with a Christmas gift.  I was both surprised and shocked but really scared to death when I opened it.  It was a gold plated whistle with a gold plate connected to a gold chain. The gold plate was inscribed with my name and "SMU Mustang Band Drum Major 1967-."  I did not know what to say.  I sat down on the bed and said, "But what if I don't make it?"  He said, "I know you will."  That is a lifelong memory and just one example of how upperclassmen impact the lives of freshmen from the Freshman Whip to squad and section leaders, and each upperclassman in the Band.  I wish I could recognize this fine man, but I respect his desire to remain anonymous.  In 1967, we developed single breasted and double breasted vests of not only the already in existence red and white candy stripe vest, but blue and white candy strip, as well as all white, and all blue vests, along with the already red vest, each with a Diamond M inscribed on them.

Sleeth: Carl Huddleston's mother made all the vests for me.  I was preceded in office by Rick Clemmensen, and he was a bit less rotund than I was.  Ms. Huddleston made me three or four vests in a larger size.  I passed all the vests down (of course) in case there were others my size in future years.

Robertson: My story is not what was worn, but what wasn't worn.  We produced a halftime show using the Loggins and Messina song of "Your Momma Don't Dance and Your Daddy Don't Rock and Roll" - we played a chorus on the field, and then sang a chorus on field.  Coach came up with this great idea that at our halftime performance we would carry all megaphones to amplify the singing (I think there is a performance we did at Baylor on YouTube with the megaphones).  It actually worked great, but the guys hated it.  Coach rebutted "Awe fellers - it's Show Biz, it's Show Biz, they love it!!"  We repeated that performance at Rice University, but as soon as the Band hit the field, I was on the ladder and realized that none of the guys were wearing megaphones.  At the end of the performance, Bob Brandenberger met me at the bottom of the ladder and in a not so endearing colorful conversation reminded me of my responsibilities.  I think I actually saw Bob's mustache curl during that conversation.

Campbell: I used the same vests used by my predecessor (James Robertson) and the same pants and ties as the Band.  I did, however, make two additions: a huge white bow tie and red pants.  The bow tie I bought from a tux shop in Snider Plaza.  I explained to the owner what I was looking for and why.  He said that he had an old white bow tie but that it was so out of style and ugly he could not imagine that I would want it.  When he showed it to me, I exclaimed, "It's perfect!"  He was in disbelief.  I spent weeks trying to find the red pants, and my quest ended at a golf shop.  My second year as drum major we went to Austin to play the cows.  Before the Band went to change uniforms for halftime, I went to the old locker room where we had all our equipment.  The door was unlocked, meaning that someone basically broke into our room.  I started to see if anything was missing, and after a thorough search, I determined that only one thing had been taken-my red pants.

Deurmeyer: We had some uniform experimentation when I was there.  There was a lady in Garland that Kathy Gilbert knew, who made a custom uniform for me.  I called it "The General Beauregard."  It had a very old-world, militaristic look.  It was a fun change for a while.  Then we experimented with a Mace and a Baton, they were good visual aids when we were coming on the field.  I had some training with these in high school so I knew how to do a few flashy tricks with them.

Ohanian: Bob Sine (the drum major before me) added a new vest to the wardrobe so I thought I'd keep it going.  I had my Grandmother sew a few vests for me and I handed them down to Travis Hill after me.  I wonder if they are still being used?

Hill: I enjoyed the candy stripes and only wore vests and short-sleeve shirts.  Bow ties were where it's at, plus I hand stitched all of the Diamond Ms on the vests.

Parks: Travis helped me find some old ties from the 70s. The old ties were the biggest hit amongst the band and friends.

Melton: I had a lot of uniform combinations to help keep up with the band. Inspired by a golfer, I introduced a sharp uniform combination featuring Dickey's red pants for my first game.  Vests included a silk white with a Yale blue Diamond M, blue cloth vest with a white Diamond M, and last but not least, a shiny red vest with a white Diamond M.  A good rotation between my red, white, and blue pants gave me lots of options. No good uniform was without the central key piece, the tie.  One afternoon when helping organize the old uniform storage room, I stumbled across a few neck ties used from the 80s, and I couldn't help but want to bring one of them back to the main stage. It began to be featured in a few of my uniform combinations and was a bright red, white, and blue diagonal striped tie.  Additionally, I used a white bowtie in other options.  During my three years as drum major, I had a couple of games where my uniform matched the theme of our show.  In the fall of 2006, I dressed the part of a pirate during our Halloween-themed show, and later in the fall of 2008, I took on the character of James Bond, during one of our 007-themed halftime shows.  My dolls were always quick to help me play the part.

Weise: Mrs. Rae Jones actually helped me dream up my uniform.  We had talked about doing something different because of me being the first female drum major.  She suggested the sequins and at first I thought she was joking, but then the idea kind of stuck.  I knew I wanted to have four vests total, and a candy stripe was a must. I tried to use red, blue and white in all of my vest, and model my Diamond M and design after the M on the drum heads.  Plus, at the end of the day, I wanted them to remember the First Female Drum Major. 

Morris: Growing up, I worked horses a lot on my grandparents' ranch, and I adopted a lot of cowboy culture.  As a result, on my red and blue vests, I have silver star badges as buttons, and on my white vest, I have silver conchos, similar to silver found on Western saddles.  I have an all-white uniform that I enjoy wearing early in the year, as an homage to my high school drum major uniform (which was all-white as well).  I wear white shoes because when I'm running, they look faster.  I have a variety of different lanyards that I wear on different occasions (white for rehearsals, red or blue for small gigs, silver for football games and other important events).  In cold weather games, I wear red and blue sweater vests.  For the Hawaii Bowl, I didn't have a uniform (the dorms had closed before we found out we were going to the game), so I wore white shorts and a Hawaiian shirt that I bought a couple of days before the game, near our hotel.  For the Ice Bowl game last December, I wore a Santa hat, mainly because we were playing "God Rest ye Merry Volga Boatmen" for our halftime show.  I used to have a navy uniform that I loved wearing, but during the TCU game my junior year, it poured rain the whole game, turning the uniform black.  Since I was wearing a red vest, I got so much flak for looking like a lost Red Raider that I never wore the uniform again.

Is there's anything else you'd like newsletter readers to know?

West: Coach was the most influential person and friend in my life besides my parents and in some respects, more than they were.  That engrained  and infectious influence has continued for a lifetime.  And I am so grateful for the hard work and commitment of the men and the lifetime relationships that resulted in that time together.

Robertson: Words will always fall short of the gratitude and honor I had to serve as the drum major of the Mustang Band.  I would not be the person today if it were not for the mentorship that Coach, Bob Brandenberger, Randy West and Jack Rohr poured into me during my tenure as Drum Major.  

Deurmeyer: I think back to my freshman year a lot (Fall of '92).  We were just a few years Post DP, yet we went 5-6 with wins over Houston, TCU, Arkansas, New Mexico, and North Texas.  It was a good season.  Imagine beating those same teams this season!  I'd like to thank Chuck Campbell for his support as a former drum major during my drum major years. 

Parks: One of the single best decisions I ever made was to join the Mustang Band.  I was a perfect fit.  Because of the Mustang Band I felt like I was really able to lead the ideal college experience...four years on campus, filled with meals and get togethers and socials with a network of friends I considered nothing less than my SMU family.  

Melton:

Weise: Going into the position I was very nervous. I tend to be a perfectionist and the idea of leading the band, my second family, was a lot for me to at first.  Don and Tommy were always very supportive of me and my decisions as drum major.  For me, being a sophomore drum major was scarier than being the first female.  Other people definitely felt differently.  For as many people that I had who were excited about me making band history, there were just as many who weren't.  It taught me I couldn't please everyone and to do the best I knew how to do.  At the end of the day, my biggest supporters were my close friends in the band, my freshman siblings.  As the season continued, more people saw that I could do the job and I slowly started winning more people over. In the end, I wouldn't have changed anything about my experience for the world.