NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s Grammy-award winning Aristocrat of Bands marched through the doors of the Grand Ole Opry with Tiger spirit for their historic debut in front of thousands.
TSU’s Grammy-award winning Aristocrat of Bands debut at the Grand Ole Opry April 4, 2023. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
Fondly referred to as AOB, the band has had many firsts, with appearances across country at several iconic venues.
Now, the trailblazing band can add to its list of ‘first to do it’ following their debut at the Grand Ole Opry on April 4.
“Being at Opry tonight as an HBCU band … this opportunity is breathtaking,” said AOB’s director Dr. Reginald McDonald. “To be a band of firsts, we are excited. This is another opportunity for our students to learn beyond the classroom.”
TSU Sophisticated Ladies debut at the Grand Ole Opry. (Photo by Jenai Hayes)
There were about 80 band members and five Sophisticated Ladies that participated in the 12-minute performance.
“It feels so good to be here,” said Joshua Knox, an AOB drum major from Detroit, Michigan. “Being able to perform at this historic stage makes everything so great being here with my fellow band members.”
AOB performed two songs off their Grammy-award winning album The Urban Hymnal. The band performed Dance Revival and Blessings on Blessings with soulful sounds from the Grammy-award winning duo Louis York, who is featured on the song, along with TSU alumna Ashley “FluteBae” Crawford.
Joshua Knox
TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands is the first collegiate marching band to win a Grammy, the music industry’s highest honor for Best Roots Gospel Album.
Aimee Rollins, a freshman from Atlanta who plays the clarinet, said the overall experience was another one for the books. “Every time we perform it is a great time,” Rollins said, noting that the crowd’s energy was lively. “When they come and experience something new, introducing them to a new world of music they didn’t know about before .. with a lot of TSU people in the crowd hyping us up, I really did appreciate it.”
Aimee Rollins
Louis York singer and music producer Claude Kelly, described the experience of performing with AOB at the Grand Ole Opry as ‘next level history.’
Check out the Aristocrat of Bands debut at the Grand Ole Opry here. Listen to The Urban Hymnal album on all music streaming platforms such as Apple Music, YouTube, and or Spotify.
Tennessee State University is hosting a parade celebration in honor of the Aristocrat of Bands historic Grammy win!
The AOB made history as the first collegiate marching band to win the music industry’s highest honor for Best Roots Gospel Album, The Urban Hymnal, at the 65th annual ceremony on February 5.
The public is asked to help celbrate the Grammy award-winning marching band this Friday at noon with a parade celebration.
The parade will began at the TSU entrance (28th Avenue & Jefferson.)
Along with the AOB, President Glenda Glover, Nashville Mayor John Cooper, State Representative Harold Love Jr. State Senator Charlane Oliver and Councilperson Brandon Taylor will be present.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s marching band is now known as the Grammy-award winning Aristocrat of Bands! The AOB made history as the first collegiate marching band to win the music industry’s highest honor for Best Roots Gospel Album, The Urban Hymnal, at the 65th annual ceremony.
AOB is also featured on Spoken Word Artist and Poet, J. Ivy’s album The Poet Who Sat By The Door, that won a Grammy as well.
“We congratulate our students, Dr. Reginald McDonald, Professor Larry Jenkins, and the band staff for this amazing accomplishment as we continue to write history and prove why the Aristocrat of Bands is the best marching band in nation,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.
Walking the Grammy red carpet and accepting the award on behalf of TSU and the band were the album’s co-executive producers, l-r: TSU alum platinum recording artist Aaron ‘DUBBA-AA’ Lockhart, assistant band director Larry Jenkins, and TSU alumni, two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist Sir the Baptist
“It is quite appropriate that this historic moment in our institution’s history takes place during Black History Month, highlighting the accomplishments of great African American scientists, educators, civil rights and social justice leaders, innovators, visionaries and the trailblazing musicians of our Aristocrat of Bands.”
Dr. Reginald McDonald, AOB band director, said being the first college band in the nation, leading amongst HBCU bands is a ‘surreal’ moment that all universities can be proud of.
From l-r, AOB members Celeste Boykin, Curtis Olawumi and Logyn Rylander in Los Angeles at the 65th annual Grammy award ceremony. (Photo submitted)
“It is a true testimony to how HBCUs with tremendously less resources find ways to educate and overcome enormous obstacles,” McDonald said. “The lesson for our students is that hard work, dedication, determination, perseverance and faith always win.”
The album also features TSU’s New Direction Gospel Choir along with acclaimed gospel artist Jekalyn Carr, Fred Hammond, Kierra Sheard, J. Ivy, John P. Kee, Louis York and more.
New Direction Gospel Choir’s powerful vocals are heard on “Dance Revival,” a track that lift the spirit and soothe the soul.
The internationally acclaimed gospel choir has been featured on BET’s Sunday Best, toured Europe with a command performance at the Vatican hosted by the Pope Francis.
L-r: The Urban Hymnal was executively produced by, Assistant band director professor Larry Jenkins, AOB Band Director Dr. Reginald McDonald, platinum recording artist, TSU alum Dubba-AA, Grammy award-winning songwriter and artist Dallas Austin and two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist Sir the Baptist
Walking the Grammy red carpet and accepting the award on behalf of TSU and the band were the album’s co-executive producers, assistant band director Larry Jenkins, TSU alumni, two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist Sir the Baptist, and TSU alum platinum recording artist Aaron ‘DUBBA-AA’ Lockhart. Grammy award-winning songwriter and artist Dallas Austin also co-produced the album.
Jenkins thanked every student who worked hard to make the dream a reality.
“Thank you to the best band in the land, Tennessee State University AOB. Thank you to all of our amazing students. Your hard work and dedication created the pen that allowed you to write your own page in the history books. We made history, but it is also February, so we also made Black history.”
AOB students gathered for the historic Grammy watch party. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
It was just as exciting on the TSU campus as hundreds of students, including band members, waited anxiously for the category and announcement.
The Grammy watch party erupted when the band’s name was read as the winner.
Emotions couldn’t be put into words when the award winner for the Best Roots Gospel album was finally announced.
There are more than 280 AOB members. Chelsea Flournoy, a music education major who plays the trombone for the band, jumped for joy with her fellow classmates.
John King (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
“I cried tears of joy,” Flournoy said. “We worked so hard, long nights recording this album to make it perfect, and the perfect way got us a Grammy. I was confident in this album, we made history!”
TSU senior John king, who plays the cymbal, said he was very confident in last night’s win before the announcement. “I saw the vision,” King said. “Being a part of this journey and seeing this being accomplished, it motivates me and it gives me hope.”
Listen to The Urban Hymnalalbum on all music streaming platforms such as Apple Music, YouTube, and or Spotify.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Gospel music has the power to inspire change, unite communities, and serve as a voice for the marginalized. Oftentimes, the concept behind a soul stirring song or project can be just as profound. As the case for Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands Grammy-nominated album. It all stated from an idea written on a napkin.
In February 2022, Professor Larry Jenkins, assistant band director for the Aristocrat of Bands, met with Sir The Baptist to brainstorm ideas about what’s next for the world-renowned AOB.
L-r : The Urban Hymnal was executively produced by, Assistant band director professor Larry Jenkins, AOB Band Director Dr. Reginald McDonald, platinum recording artist, TSU alum Dubba-AA. Grammy award-winning songwriter and artist Dallas Austin and two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist Sir the Baptist
The two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist liked everything Jenkins shared during their meal. In this musical meeting of the minds, the concept for the album was born on a napkin from a Mexican restaurant.
“It just hit me, we should do a whole album,” Jenkins said to Baptist.
His response: I was waiting on you to say that.
Fast forward a year later, Baptist is a TSU alumnus and AOB is going to the Grammys after being nominated for their 10-track album The Urban Hymnal in the Best Roots Gospel Album category. They are the first collegiate band in the history of the Grammys to receive a nomination.
Jenkins, who is a co-executive producer of the album, said this accomplishment will change the trajectory of Nashville’s Music City reputation.
“You have an HBCU band doing an album … which is something that has never been done to this capacity,” Jenkins said, noting that this opportunity was a cultural shift. “I hope this sparks another resurgence of the impact and importance of music. Not just Nashville, but north Nashville and Jefferson Street and how legendary this air is here.”
Jenkins is referring to the historic aspect of Jefferson Street and its longevity of cultural African American music. Not even a mile away from TSU, is the reason why Nashville has been coined as, ‘Music City.’
The Urban Hymnal album cover. (Photo by Garrett Morris)
The Fisk Jubilee Singers, founded in 1871, performed in front of Queen Victoria. A performance that established Nashville as a musical hub and contributed to the city’s reputation as a center of musical excellence. 150 years after being founded, the Jubilee Singers won their first-ever Grammy Award in 2021.
“We call Jefferson Street the Grammy mile,” Jenkins said. And AOB being nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Gospel Roots, the same category as Fisk Jubilee Singers, isn’t a coincidence. “Being a mile away from each other with so much history being packed into the biggest musical organization on both campuses is amazing.”
TSU alum Aaron ‘DUBBA-AA’ Lockhart, a platinum recording artist, and one of the executive producers for the album, said this award will mean more to just the university. “This is a cultural award for Nashville in itself. This will solidify Black music in the city,” Lockhart said.
“Starting off at Fisk and ending off with TSU … this is something the culture needs.” Lockhart said he looks forward to honoring this award for ‘the roots that birthed us,’ and ‘being able to pass the torch,’ to future music students, AOB members and beyond.
Music education in many schools and institutions often prioritize the study of Western classical music, something that may result in a lack of cultural relevance and diversity in music. AOB band director, Dr. Reginald McDonald, who is also a co-executive producer for the album, said there is rich musical history and R&B moguls that orientated right in the heart of north Nashville.
TSU drum major, trumpet soloist Curtis Olawumi during a Fall 2022 performance. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
“There is more to the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee than country music,” McDonald said. “For Tennessee State University’s AOB to have produced an album to tie together two of the biggest music genres within the African American community, (gospel and HBCU marching bands) is extremely significant,” he said.
“You start bringing awareness and bringing on the Black music scene.”
Currently, there are more than 280 AOB members. Bringing a Grammy back to Tennessee will be yet another one of the Aristocrat of Bands historic accolades, and a great way to kick off Black History Month.
The Grammys will take place this week, Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Listen to The Urban Hymnalalbum on all music streaming platforms such as Apple Music, YouTube, and or Spotify.
