Jonathan Valentine

‘Betsy Band director Jonathan Valentine stands on a step-up ladder as he leads the band during the Elizabethton and Greeneville game.

Band director Jonathan Valentine works with band students during third period band practice inside John Treadway Gymnasium.

‘Betsy Band director Jonathan Valentine has taken the baton from Perry Elliott and ran at a sprint to continue the excellence that the band has worked hard for through the years.

Marching to a new beat... Valentine continues leadership excellence in leading ‘Betsy Band

Story & Photos by Ivan Sanders

Whenever Elizabethton is mentioned, one of two things are often the first to come to mind: the Cyclone football team or the ‘Betsy Band.

So when former band director Perry Elliott announced his decision to retire after more than 30 years, people wondered who would fill his shoes. But since taking the baton in hand, Jonathan Valentine hasn’t missed a beat.

Valentine, who has ties to the Tri-Cities area, had been sharing his knowledge of music in South Carolina before applying to take over the successful band program at Elizabethton. While he was familiar with the exceptional support the program receives from the community, Valentine said he has been most surprised by the students work ethic and willingness to work hard in maintaining the band’s traditions and reputation.

“They always have great attitudes and do what they are told to do, which is something for a teenager anymore you know,” Valentine said. “It’s a big deal to look at a kid and say something to them and expect them to do and then have them do it. That’s a big deal, and that is just a testament to the parents, the community, and a testament to the type of training they get in the middle school from Mr. (Chris) Lockhart.

“It’s the caliber of kid that we have here at Elizabethton High School, and so its been really awesome and exciting to know that I can trust these kids to do what they are asked to do. I can set high expectations and they will strive to meet it and not just to allow themselves to fall short if it doesn’t work out in their way.”

Valentine also joked that the football in Elizabethton isn’t bad either, as he has become spoiled being around good football as a band director. High praise considering Valentine previously taught at Burns High School in South Carolina, with a nationally ranked football team.

“The first game that I went to was that Greeneville game, and it was nuts,” Valentine said. “It was a lot of fun with a college atmosphere. The crowd went crazy whenever we came across and trooped the field, and it was just a really cool experience. It’s been really cool to see the level of commitment and support that the community and town give to everybody. That has been pretty overwhelming for sure.”

In addition to leading the marching band programs, Valentine also is preparing band students for competition season – a first for the freshmen and sophomores who couldn’t compete last year due to COVID-19. He wants the students to compete well and win, but Valentine also said winning is not the only reward.

“The most important thing is that the kids that participate are making memories that last a lifetime as well as friendships that will last the same,” the director said. “The rewards are part of those memories along with the journey to success.”

Pacing is critical in the process, and Valentine said he tries to schedule the band so each week presents a new challenge and keeps the members engaged.

“Marching band is kind of hard and bizarre because you work for so long and you are really only active in October and the first week of November but you start in July,” he said. “I try to space out performances throughout the year. Sometimes a kid will not see a performance on the horizon and feel that they don’t need to put in that kind of effort right now.”

One of the first performances Valentine scheduled was the Friends and Family Night at the end of the first band camp. The event drew about 800 people for a first glimpse of the band under his leadership and gave Valentine a glimpse into the community’s depth of love for the band.

“Plans are in the works to make the “Meet the ‘Betsy Band” an annual tradition and to grow it to celebrate the band before competitively kicking off the band season,” Valentine stated.

Ultimately, Valentine said he is happy with his decision to come to Elizabethton and he hopes the community is equally as happy with his impact on the program.

“I have thought about that a lot and at the end of the day, you know this was one of the best decisions that I have ever made because this is exactly the type of program I was looking for in my pursuit of a high school band director job,” he said. “There are not that many of them set up for success as this program is., with the great support and the kids and the community love.

“This has been an extremely positive experience and I have not regretted it at all.”

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