History

The Big Red Band of Parkersburg High School was not originally a

marching band, but just performed concerts. Then in the early 1920's, it

switched to marching to support the football team. It marched it's first

half time show in 1924.

It's first director was a man of small stature, but large

expectations. His name was George Deitz, and his expectations were

fulfilled. He took the band to several national championships, including

back to back winnings in 1937 and 1938.

Present Day

Originating from Deitz's masterful direction, the band continued

on in high class fashion. Having gone through many different directors,

the band has been invited to many different honors and festivals almost

every year. The band is invited to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade each

year it is available, has been invited to the Circleville

Ohio Pumpkin Festival several times, has marched in the Derby Parade for the Kentucky Derby,

and participated in the 1998 Peach Bowl parade and halftime show.

The Band marched in the 1982 World's Fair, and has played for President Reagan.

PHS BIG RED BAND ETHICS

The Big Red Band is strictly a military band. We are alone in the state of

West Virginia in this. We have no flags, no majorettes, no twirlers, and no

batons. We believe that the music and the marching should speak for themselves.

It is our theory that flags and the like take concentration away from the band

and sometimes get in the way of an interesting preformance.

We are above all a music making organization, and strive to create the

best possible sound while entertaining the listener with skillfull marching drills.

At every preformance, we remember out roots, and play a number by the march

king, John Phillip Sousa, whose classic marches(in our opinion) are incomparable.

Past Directors
C.O. Chapman
George Dietz
Charles Shackelford
Frank Schroeder
James Hoy
Edward McKown
Kent and Felice Jorgeson
David Burton