Super Band LII

I normally watch the Super Bowl for the ads, and the pop culture aspect of it. Oh, and the snacks. But last night's game held two surprises for me; the first was how much I enjoyed watching the actual game. And the second was seeing members of the University of Minnesota Marching Band appear with Justin Timberlake during the halftime show.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine has a great story about how the opportunity came about for the band; you can read it here.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the University of Minnesota Marching Band because my grandfather, Ronald Riggs, was a member nearly one hundred years ago. He later directed the marching band at the St. Cloud Teachers College (now called St. Cloud State University). Also, two previous directors of the University of Minnesota Marching Band, William Allen Abbott (1931-1932) and Gerald Prescott (1932-43, 1946-50, 1951-60), were friends and bandmaster colleagues of my paternal great-grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs.

A photo of the St. Cloud Teachers College marching band, from an undated St. Cloud Times clipping.

My grandfather Ronald with my uncle Bob, my dad, William, and some other St. Cloud kiddos.

The current director of the University of Minnesota Marching Band, Betsy McCann, is a Minnesota native and the first woman to direct a Big 10 marching band; she was hired in 2016. Cathy Wurzer interviewed McCann this morning on Minnesota Public Radio about the Super Bowl experience; you can listen to the interview here.

I know at least one band member who participated in last night's excitement (a trumpet player from Northfield who used to play in the high school band and jazz band with Sebastian). I hope he and the other musicians jot down some thoughts about what it was like to perform for millions of viewers. Their great-grandchildren will want to know about it someday, trust me!