Creator of Hornet Drum Major ‘Lean Back’ Remembered as a Legend at Alabama State University
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on May 26, 2017 FEATURED Content The man who is credited with creating the “Hornet Lean Back,” the signature move of ASU’s Marching Hornets drum majors, is remembered as a dedicated leader and a legend of the band’s remarkable history. The move is now an iconic part of the Alabama State University Mighty Marching Hornets history. It’s known as the “Hornet Lean Back,” one of the signature moves of the band’s drum majors. The man credited with creating the Lean Back, Samuel Hudson McDade Jr., recently died. McDade held near legendary status as a member of the Marching Hornets. He was part of the “Old Guard” that helped to shape the band’s unique style and commitment to paying the price for glory. Described as being tall and slender with a commanding presence, McDade enrolled at ASU in 1965 and became a member of the Marching Hornets and served as drum major under the direction of Dr. Thomas E. Lyle. “He was known as Batman because of the long cape that was attached to his uniform,” said W Rayford Johnson, who joined the band in 1966. “His freshman class was the first recruits to comprise ‘The Marching 100,’ the all-male, fast-cadence, high-knee-lift, pointed-toe, precision-movement, powerful-sounding Marching Hornets band.” Johnson described the historic day that the Lean Back was born. “One day we were preparing for a show, with the band lined up on each side of the field…waiting for the drum majors to walk onto the field,” said Johnson. “When reaching their position, McDade would thrust his baton into the ground. On this day, he did something different. He began to lean backwards until his head touched the ground behind him. That is when he established an institutional style for the Alabama State University Marching Hornets known worldwide as the Hornet Lean Back.” During McDade’s time as drum major, the Marching Hornets performed in Shea Stadium for an NFL halftime show, the first to be fully broadcast nationally on NBC. The band also made an appearance at a Blue/Gray Football Classic game, marking the first time that an HBCU had performed for that classic, which began in 1939. McDade, a political science major with a minor in music education, also was a charter member of the Epsilon Gamma chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. “McDade was a serious leader, and a committed and disciplined drum major. He truly exemplified the meaning of our motto, ‘The Price of Glory is High,’” Johnson added. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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