by Brianne Welch | Sep 7, 2014 | Uncategorized
The Vanderbilt marching band has a unique structure that involves Lipscomb students as well as other students from different universities around Nashville who make up The Spirit of Gold Marching Band. The Spirit of Gold is made up of any student who is enrolled in a university that does not have a football team, which of course includes Lipscomb students. Band Director Dr. Dwayne Sagen said that the Lipscomb connection to the band has been going on for over 35 years. The band “recruits” students through music programs in the universities as well as in local high schools. Lipscomb Senior Mariah Lester said she found out about the band while attending Antioch High School. “Students from Vanderbilt came and kind of sat in on one of our rehearsals, and they were talking about the band program, and how if any of us were thinking about going to Vanderbilt or a school in Nashville that didn’t have a football program that Vanderbilt would let you be in their marching band,” Lester said. Other students simply had the dream of being involved in the band. Just like some young people can see themselves at a certain college or playing a certain sport at the next level, Lipscomb freshman Andrew Youngblood said he always knew he would be a part of the Spirit of Gold. “My parents actually met in Spirit of Gold band, and my dad actually is a Lipscomb alum and my mom was at Belmont,” Youngblood said. “I’ve been kind of called the first Spirit of Gold baby. I felt like it was just part of me.” Lipscomb junior...
