The Marching Chiefs of Florida State University ─ The Band That Never Lost a Halftime Show

The history of Florida State University’s Marching Chiefs is chronicled, from early efforts to found a band before the program’s 1939 establishment at Florida State College for Women, to the Chiefs’ attainment of “world renowned” status. The band’s leaders, shows, and music are discussed, along with the origins of some of their venerable traditions, game-day rituals, and school songs, including the “Alma Mater,” the “Fight Song,” and the “Hymn to the Garnet and Gold.” This story of the Chiefs takes into account the growth of FSU and its School of Music, the rise of “Big Football” in Tallahassee, and the transformations on campus and in American society that affected them.

Bill F. Faucett is an experienced arts administrator and fundraiser and a former classical music critic and columnist at the Palm Beach Post and American Record Guide. He is currently director of development at the University of South Florida’s college of The Arts.