Students have since nicknamed him “The Bishop.” Senior trombone player Alex Rebelle says, “His name is Ruff, but we think he is a diamond in the rough.” Ruff helped Rebelle, a graduate of the Durham School of the Arts, quite literally find his voice. Though Rebelle was an introvert, Ruff placed him in public speaking positions. “He put me out there to speak to the news and eventually I learned to always be prepared.” Rebelle is pursuing a degree in mass communications, and he credits Ruff with dozens of similar instances of identifying potential in students on and off the field. Kimberly Sowell, assistant vice chancellor of student affairs, says Ruff shows students “what they are worth.” He’s also shown the community what the band is worth. Through car washes and other fundraising activities, the band raised a dizzying $500,000 in order to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. With help from the university’s donors, students were also able to take in a Broadway show and tour the city. “And then the band went out there and put on an amazing show,” Sowell says. Some may think the Blue and Gold Marching Machine is all about high-stepping, dancing and loud music, but Ruff demands precision and says that “musicality is first and foremost with our band.” After a year of practice and preparation, the band performed a diverse medley of songs to honor the city, including the 38
classic “New York, New York” and rapper Jay-Z’s tribute “Empire State of Mind.” In the center of sharp turns and complex formations, TV cameras focused on the band’s beautiful Golden Delights. This elite team of women (once called The Untouchables) has developed a sophisticated dance-majorette style that marries hip-hop and modern jazz. Ruff challenged them to look “like the Rockettes but to kick even higher . . . We had 60 seconds of uninterrupted television coverage,” he says. “We wanted to show the world what we could do.” Ruff remains a man on a mission. Since the Macy’ s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the group has been invited to entertain fans of NASCAR, the Carolina Panthers and Grammy-nominated R&B singer Janelle Monáe. With the passing of his mentor, Doc Hodge, in May, Ruff has fully accepted the yoke of the band’s rich legacy of mentorship, showmanship and excellence on and off the field. It’s time for The Bishop to make his move. OH Antionette G. Kerr, now the executive director of the Housing Community Development Corporation in Lexington, where her weekly “Just Sayin’” column appears in The Lexington Dispatch, never joined the marching band due to poor coordination so she became a cheerleader instead.