The Electrifying Legacy of the Southern University Marching Band: The Human Jukebox
From high-volume rhythm and blues to flawless classics, from hip hop dance moves to precision drill steps, the Southern University Marching Band stands as a spectacular force in collegiate music. Dubbed the "Human Jukebox," the SU band has achieved legendary status as one of the nation's top collegiate bands, redefining college band style and captivating diverse audiences. An opportunity to witness the Southern University Marching Band is an opportunity to witness music in motion. This band has raised the bar and set precedents for other collegiate marching bands and ensembles.
A History of Excellence
The Southern University Marching Band was first established in 1947 by T. Leroy Davis, who served as the band director from its inception to 1964. Davis also helped organize the first Southern University Band Festival and Band Day. He was later awarded the title of Professor Emeritus by the university in 1989. Davis taught the majority of African-American band directors in Louisiana. On October 25, 1992 Davis passed away at the age of 76.
His assistants were Milton Cooper, Assistant Band Director and Arranger and James A. Cato, Assistant Band Director and Choreographer. Davis served as the band director from 1947 to 1964. He organized the Southern University Band Festival and Band Day. He was nationally known for his achievements in the areas of bands as a scholar, adjudicator, clinician, arranger and conductor. In 1957 the band was just a group of students that he developed into an impressive band. The band was very proper and sedate. They marched traditional, which was the style at that time.
Ludwig Freeman continued the success of progress of the Southern University band as band director from 1965 to 1969. The Southern University Marching Band, after the retirement of Leroy Davis hired Ludwig Freeman as its new director and James Alvin Cato as the assistant director in 1965 to 1969. The Southern University Band proved itself to be the best in the land during its “superior” performances through-out the year. Freeman, proved his capable leadership by making the band live up to the quotation “Not as good as, but better than.” During the course of the season the “Marching 132” was given the opportunity to show its skills against numerous other bands. Perfection comes from long hours of practice and rugged drills, along with determination to do a good job with every performance according to Freeman. This has helped the marching performers of Southern University to be crowned, “The King of Band.” In 1966 the Southern University renowned “Marching 150” Band reached the peak of perfection. With 60 new freshmen, 90 upperclassmen, and two new assistant directors, Paul Irvins Adams and Alvin Batiste the band came to a point not easily distinguished from that of total perfection. Freeman introduced the block letter concept and patterns in motion to the band; he also is credited for designing the uniforms still worn today.
The "Human Jukebox" Era
But the band didn't obtain its "Human Jukebox" name until it was under the direction of Dr. Issac Greggs in 1969. The "Human Jukebox" title was applied to the band because they could play the current "top 40" hits of the day. Under his leadership, the band grew in popularity and established a distinctive identity. A 1948 Southern University graduate, and director of the band Dr. Isaac Greggs, moves crowds with a well-planned mixture of old school and soul and a current hip-hop flavor. Greggs, as director, under sheer genius, has laid a foundation which has made Southern University’s marching machine one of the most sought after bands in the world. Greggs is an accomplished trumpet player and has traveled the world conducting performances in Japan, England, Russia, Mexico, France, and Italy and throughout South America. He has shared billings with such notables as Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Lionel Hampton, Al Hirt, Doc Serverenson and Glen Campbell.
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The Southern University marching band, a 170 piece ensemble of greatness-unique in impact, precise in execution and enormous repetitious success can only be described with words such as astounding and majestic. This unit, better known as the Human Jukebox, is under the direction of the esteemed Dr. Isaac Greggs, who became director of the band in 1969 is the guiding force for a compilation of strong, dedicated and talented young group of musicians, and the scientist behind which a superlative legacy was created. The name; Human Jukebox was applied to the band because they could play the current “top 40’s.” Its symbols, the Columbia blue and gold uniforms with a cape, the gold and white caps, the white gloves, the white spats and the 360 steps per minute cadence work together to produce energy charged atmosphere that attracts admiration from its many fans.
Since 1969, the Human Jukebox has been often accompanied by The Fabulous Dancing Dolls. Gracie Perkins co-founded the Dolls with Dr. Greggs. For more than 40 Years, The Southern University Fabulous Dancing Dolls have always shown the epitome of class and style! The Dolls are best known for their stylish dance uniforms, graceful choreography, and beauty standards.
In 1972 thirty-one members of the Southern University band performed at the highly lauded Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The band was originally scheduled for a two-week performance at Radio City Hall but was asked to stay on for an additional three weeks. The band gave 140 performances in New York in company with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and symphony orchestra. The band was on stage four times a day, seven days a week for five weeks. Also they performed in the musical “Black Tie” directed by Peter Gennaro. In addition to the band’s stage performances, three street performances were given. The band played at the dedication of a police athletic league youth center in Harlem, opened for the Newport Jazz Festival in Harlem and gave a salute to New York City on July 4th at the Americas Plaza of the Time-Life Building in Rockefeller Center.
In 1975 the band performed for the first time in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans against arch rival Grambling State University in the annual Bayou Classic. At the 32nd annual Bayou Classic game between Southern University and Grambling State was the last for Dr. Isaac Greggs. Greggs, 36 years as director of the Southern University Marching Band came to an end when he retired on December 31, 2005.
On June 18, 2003 Dr. Greggs was acknowledged on a grand scale as being the First living person to have a state building named in his honor. The music building on Southern’s campus was formerly known as The Dubose Music Hall, has now been renamed the Isaac Gregg’s Band Hall. The music building on Sothern's campus was renamed the Issac Gregg's Band Hall in 2003. He became the first living person in Louisiana to have a state building named in their honor. The band is anchored by the Isaac Greggs Band Hall on campus. Dr. Isaac Greggs (Doc) was an award-winning band director and alumnus of Southern University that led the band for 36 years (1969 - 2005).
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Global Recognition and Performances
The SU band has performed around the world, including performances for three United Stated presidential inaugurations, four Sugar Bowl and five Super Bowl appearances, as well as appearances in Reliant Stadium, the Superdome, Georgia Dome, Yankee Stadium Coliseum, and the famed Radio City Music Hall for six weeks. In the summer of 2000, the SU band was featured in the Bermuda Day parade and also performed a live concert for the citizens of Bermuda. The Human Jukebox has performed at the Super Bowl six times as of 2020 and has a long-standing reputation of making appearances at many types of highly visible events. For example, in 1997, the Human Jukebox performed at the inaugural parade for President Bill Clinton. Six Super Bowls, four Sugar Bowls, presidential inaugural performances in 1981, 1983 and 1997, The Rose Bowl Parade and The Special Olympics.
In 2002, the band out performed more than 20 college bands to win Motown Record's marching band competition for black college bands. Southern took home the top prize of $10,000 cash. In 2004, the Southern University Marching Bands was the only band in the country ever featured on ABC's Nightline. In 2008, the Human Jukebox was named "Best Dressed Band" by fashion magazine. The band takes pride in its appearance and performance.
In 2015, the Human Jukebox performed for the grand introduction of Floyd Mayweather in the MGM Grand Arena of Las Vegas for "his bout with Manny Pacquiao". Haymer, the band performed at the for the Floyd Mayweather vs. A portion of the donation was earmarked for the university's Human Jukebox Band.
One of the most anticipated traditions of the Human Jukebox is the Friday night "Battle of the Bands" versus Grambling's "World Famed" Tiger Marching Band during Bayou Classic weekend in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The annual event draws tens of thousands of alumni, fans, and spectators. Clips of it is aired on NBC's nationally televised broadcast of Saturday's football game. A YouTube video of the Human Jukebox's soulful rendition of Adele's hit single "Hello" from the 2015 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands went viral which resulted in the band garnering overwhelmingly positive press both nationally and internationally. Southern University’s “Marching Band from Jaguar Land!” Simply mention their names and fans are highly captivated, flocking to catch a hopeful glimpse of one of the most electrifying performances in the world.
Lizzo featured the Human Jukebox and Fabulous Dancing Dolls in her 2019 music video "Good as Hell". The Human Jukebox and Fabulous Dancing Dolls traveled to Pasadena, California in December 2019 to participate in the 131st Rose Parade. Vincent, Mykal (January 2, 2020). "Human Jukebox performance listed as one of Rose Parade's Top 5 moments".
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A Historic Moment: Welcoming the Saints Home
Perhaps the most significant and historic moment recently for the Southern University Marching Band was when the New Orleans Saints returned home to the Louisiana Superdome on August 25, 2006, after Hurricane Katrina devastation. One historic moment for the band hit very close to home. It was when the New Orleans Saints returned to the Louisiana Superdome on Aug. 25, 2006 to play their first home game since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the dome.
Recent Years and Challenges
Lawrence Jackson, associate director, has been appointed to take the band's helm effective January 1, 2006. During his career, Jackson managed to accumulate over 30 years of experience in directing bands, serving as a director at Clinton High School, Clinton Middle School and Clinton Elementary School, then as an arranger and associate director of Southern's band. Under Lawrence JACKSON, the band expanded, performed before international audiences and was ranked by the NCAA as the No. 2 (and only HBCU) marching band in the nation.
The Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band performed the pre-game show at the 2013 Superbowl in New Orleans and in a video with the popular pop music group the Jonas Brothers. The band's Dancing Dolls group performed at the halftime of 2012 Superbowl with music icon Madonna. Olivia LaBorde (February 5, 2012). "SU'S Dancing Dolls perform with Madonna in surprise show".
"This is downright amazing for our students that the NCAA has taken notice of what we do at Southern University," said Director of Bands, Lawrence Jackson. "This recognition means a lot to us. Southern tied for No. 6 in ESPN’s Division I preseason band rankings. By the end of September, the Human Jukebox surged to No. 2, trailing only North Carolina A&T’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine. The ranking dipped to No. 4 in October, then rose again. Ironically, the performance that defined the season came on Nov. Inside the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, thousands of phones rise into the air as cameras lock onto Southern University’s Human Jukebox marching band.
In February, Caleb Wilson, a trumpet player in the band, died following an alleged off-campus hazing ritual. Now, every Human Jukebox performance carries both joy and grief. Memory and resolve move together in every phrase. The drum major of Southern’s Human Jukebox marching band performs at halftime of the Bayou Classic on Nov. 29, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.Nick Tre. “I felt defeated [by Wilson’s death],” Taylor said. “I felt the pressure. We’ve had previous band members to die. I started to question, like, is it my leadership? Wilson would have been 21 on Nov. 1 and was set to enter his senior year this fall. He was supposed to be under the lights at the Bayou Classic in November with his fellow Jukebox members. According to his family, he always looked forward to the rivalry weekend. During Bayou Classic week, a digital billboard at the Smoothie King Center - about a mile from the Superdome - displayed a message from the Caleb Wilson Foundation, a nonprofit formed in his honor: “I’m right here with you in spirit. Play loud. Play proud. Every note. Every step. Let the music speak for me.
The Human Jukebox is seeking to become ESPN’s top Division I winner in the 2025 Red Lobster Band of the Year competition. “Being on this stage [Band of the Year] is big, even though we’ve been on big stages before,” Hill told Andscape. Hill, in his second year as drum major, understands the weight of the role. His rise was gradual. He once stood in formation as a cymbal player and snare drummer before earning the nod to lead. At Southern, a program known for iconic drum majors, visibility is unavoidable and expectations never soften. More than 160 freshmen members entered the program this fall, learning to navigate college life while meeting the unforgiving standard of one of the nation’s most recognizable bands. “Grief is very tricky,” Hill said. “You never really stop grieving. … While we dealt with the earlier stages of it [Wilson’s death] in February and March, it’s always there. We’re still navigating it.
“It was very hard,” Oakley said. “He’s still here in our hearts, but he’s supposed to be with us now. We’re doing the best we can. Yet even between grief and healing, the music did not stop. As the season advanced, so did the band’s identity and the test of leadership for Taylor. “I talked to my parents, my pastor, and they just kept telling me that you can’t control God’s will,” Taylor said. “They reminded me that the devil doesn’t bother people he already has. He bothers people he’s trying to get. Even in uncertainty, Taylor upheld the program’s musical and disciplinary standard.
“The students were playing. … I’m jumping off chairs, screaming,” Taylor said with a laugh. “They were just laughing as I am very animated. … I told them if they play like this all the time, nothing will stop them. I was happy and with everything we’ve been through, it was my way of expressing how I felt. “When I was in college, that was the most fun I ever had. For Taylor’s family, the season carried even deeper meaning. “I can’t imagine being able to bounce back as fast as they [Human Jukebox members] did,” Epeval Taylor said. “When someone dies or when you’re going through things in life, it’s hard. … It was a hard pill for him [Kedric Taylor] to swallow. … We had many conversations. But being in the band goes beyond musicianship - it prepares you for life. Now, inside Isaac Greggs Band Hall on Southern’s campus, preparation for Atlanta is relentless. The Human Jukebox will face Florida A&M’s reigning Band of the Year champion Marching 100 for national bragging rights, a championship title and a monetary prize. Each program will receive $100,000 for travel, accommodation and payouts. Southern will take the field without Wilson. “He really was kind of like the life of the party,” Hill said with a laugh. “He’d always have something to make you laugh. “FAMU is not the competition,” Oakley said. “Practice for us is way harder than the competition. It gets intense. … We’re competing against ourselves. “Southern University is like the king of kings of the bands,” he said. “Every band prepares for Southern. We’re like the Super Bowl for bands. … The enemy tried to take [the band] away from this moment.
Legacy and Influence
Often imitated, but never duplicated," they have raised the bar and set precedents for other collegiate marching bands and ensembles. The band earned its "Human Jukebox" name from its ability to play any musical arrangement, specializing in the current hits of the day. Redefining the typical style of a college band, the Human Jukebox appeals to a crowd of all ages during their halftime performances.
PATTY. MOSLEY. DAVIS. FREEMAN. GREGGS. JACKSON. Seven directors have been bestowed the honor of creating the legacy that is the Southern University Marching Band. Ella Amacker PATTY formed the first ensemble. J.O.B. MOSLEY created the first marching ensemble. T. Leroy DAVIS was responsible for the pageantry drill concept. Isaac GREGGS introduced the Precision Drill Concept, flash and world-wide recognition to the band, including the uniforms’ capes and Columbia Blue overlay. Nathan B. Such legacies were catalytic in producing the band’s enviable repertoire; one that boasts local, national and international appearances and accolades, and many which were etched in our nation’s history books.
Globally known as “The Human Jukebox,” the band is able to perform any musical arrangement, give it newfound emotion and radiate that “old Southern spirit” to the masses.
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