Percussionists from TSU’s famed Aristocrat of Bands perform in Rose Parade

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Percussionists from Tennessee State University’s famed Aristocrat of Bands recently performed in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.

Submitted photo

Honda Corporation of America invited eight percussionists from last year’s Honda Battle of the Bands to perform in an all-star drum section for the annual parade on Jan. 1.

The percussionists are: Keyuna Bufford (senior), Jackson, Tennessee; Quintin Burton (senior), St. Louis; Delvecchio Christian (senior), Memphis; Richard Freeman (sophomore), Birmingham, Alabama; Floyd Ivy (sophomore), Memphis; Devin Pride (junior), Atlanta; Brian Watson (freshman), Nashville; and Evan Armstrong (sophomore), Nashville.

The students were guided by Derrick Greene, assistant band director who was head drum major for the Aristocrat of Bands in 2015-2016.

The band, one of TSU’s greatest ambassadors, made its eighth appearance in the Honda Battle of the Bands last year.

In 2014, the AOB became the first collegiate band ever to perform at halftime of the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame game. The band and university made national headlines again in 2017 by accepting a special invitation from former President Barack Obama to perform on the White House Lawn.

And in 2018, the band performed with country music megastar Keith Urban during the singer’s tour stop at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

To learn more about the Aristocrat of Bands, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/aristocratofbands/.

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With more than 7,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.