The first football band for the Massillon Tigers appeared in 1913 and consisted of no more than a dozen boys who made noise and led cheers in the stands. While there is no evidence that this band marched in an organized fashion, it is believed that they were the leaders of the student body as they raucously entered the stadium whooping it up in anticipation of the game. The first verified marching band appeared in 1922 and was directed by Mr. C.M. Layton. The band was somewhat small, numbering only about 25, but was adorned in the first wool uniforms and was officially organized.The community took up a collection in 1922 and hired professional musicians to march with the band so it would be comparable in size to the Canton band. Mr. Layton led the band for a few years until 1926 when Clem Morrison was hired as the school district's first full time band director.
Mr. Morrison organized and taught the elementary, junior and senior music programs. A fan and personal friend of John Philip Sousa, Mr. Morrison designed the first marching band in the tradition of the great march leader. On occasion, Sousa himself came to Massillon and visited with Massillon band while staying with the Morrison family. Even in the early years, the band marched for Arbor Day parades and other community festivals and gatherings. Led by a drum major, the Massillon band even played a version of "Tiger Rag!"* The most notable band member to emerge during this early era was Myron McKelvey, who went on to be the drum major at Ohio State University in the mid 1930's before returning as an assistant band director in the 1940's. Mr. Morrison stepped down in 1936 to start up and run the Morrison Music Store. For the 1937 season, Mr. John Justice led the band.
George "Red" Bird completely revolutionized marching band upon his arrival in 1938. Upon using his concept of the band show as a theatre production, Bird used snappy cadence, high-energy dance and drills, and popular "swing" music to enliven the band portion of the Massillon Tiger football show. The most influential feature of the Bird bands was the use of measured steps and note-cues to teach the shows. This concept was unique to Massillon but would soon be emplyed by many other marching bands, including the Ohio State band, which still uses and has perfected this marching style. Other Bird additions included baton-twirling girls led by an energized drum major and a student dressed in a tiger skin to provide antics. Stage properties, costumes and flood lights dressed up his halftime shows, and, on occasion, the band would don hat lights. The band performed at many venues throughout the state, but the most notable appearance was at Ohio Stadium in Columbus in November of 1941 when Paul Brown's Ohio State Buckeyes took on another former Massillonian, Harry Stuhldreher's Wisconsin Badgers. Because of pre-war traveling restrictions, the Wisconsin band was prohibited from making the trip and the Massillon band was invited to perform as their replacement. It would be almost another fifty years before another high school band would march across the field at Ohio Stadium. The "South Rampart Street Parade" was the song perhaps most synonymous with the Bird era. His "Transportation Show," which featured huge props such as a paddlewheel boat and a train occupied by performing band members, was his signature show.
While only an assistant for a year, Orin "Dykae" Ford stepped into the director's role vacated by Bird. Aided by fresh material from the new Broadway musicals of the era, Ford was a ble to build on the band's style and reputation with his own concepts. Having inherited from George Bird a dedicated group of men who were willing to assist in the construction of every needed property, Ford added marching p[atterns to form pin wheels, moving V's, and expanding circles and figures. The old uniforms used by Bird were sold to nearby Dalton High School and new uniforms were designed exclusively for the Massillon band. Wearing "designer" attire became the band's standard for the next forty years. Performance highlights for Ford include the Tri-State music festival in Philadelphia, several Chicago all-star football games, and an appearance in the 1956 Tournament of Roses Parade in California. In 1962, the band marched in the first ever Pro-Football Hall of Fame Parade and continued to do so until 1999. Ford stepped down in 1967 after 22 years and was replaced by the affable Robert Hofstetter. Under Hofstetter, the band continued to employ dance steps and feature props while adding the "patterns in motion" concept of marching popularized by Ohioan Bill Moffitt.
In 1970, Jim Billingsley was hired to take over the storied band and made some of the most radical changes to the band's style since 1938. Relying on high energy entrances and intricate dance steps, the band reawakened the echoes of past popularity with a new era of shows that featured constant movement and marching, virtually doing away with the use of props and lighted effects. The band's popularity swelled: it became a fixture at band shows almost every Saturday night throughtout the state and it began a long engagement as annual performer for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And the size of the band grew: it peaked in size in 1974 at 170 bandsmen after amny years at a constant 90-100. Many trips were taken under Billingsley, including the Indianapolis 500, Hudson Thanksgiving Day Parade, Holland (Michigan) Tulip Festival, Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C., and the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. But the most notable performances were the 1974 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and a musical tour of England in 1980. Billingsley also started the annual "Big Show" concept, which were themed shows such as "The Disney Show," "The Wizard of Oz," and the "Tigertown Circus," and featured specialty numbers, costumed bandsmen, and lots of balloons. The Billingsley era was capped of in the spring of 1980 with a performance in Columbus at the Capital for President Jimmy Carter.
Ric Tissot, a "Three Star" band alumnus from the Class of '73 and an assistant to Billingsley for several years, became the next director in 1981. Tissot continued the constant motion themes but started to integrate popular corps and military styles that were altered to fit the "swing" style. Tissot expanded the band's pro-football circuit with as many as five performances a year in Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay. In the spring of 1983, the band performed in the Bahamas and then in Hawaii in the spring of 1989. But the highlights of the Tissot era were the nationally televised 1985 Cotton Bowl Parade and the 1984 New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Unable to counter complaints of the dwindling band size, which hit an all time low of 70, Tissot resigned in the Spring of 1990.
Hired in the Spring of 1990, Clarence Crum was instrumental in the rebirth of the total music program. In 1991, Christopher Smith, another former band alumnus from the class of '79, (Webmaster's note: and my band director,) took over direction of the band and combined elements from every phase of performance to create the complete show band. The band took on a "collegiate" look and reled heavily on shows built around popular music and big band favorites. Smith also reintroduced the use of props, including a popular 30-foot tall Tiger balloon. Under Smith's direction, the entire music program proved successful: accolades went not just to the marching band, but to the jazz ensembles, as well. And for the first time, the Wind Orchestra was rated "superior" at state level contests. Several university bands visted Massillon in the 1990's, including Ohio State, Penn State, Miami of Ohio, Ohio University, Bowling Green, and Akron. A bittersweet-chance performance found the band in Cincinnati for a Bengals game the very week that Paul Brown died in 1991.In tribute, the band formed the letters "PB" at midfield to a deafening five minute ovation. Musical highlights from the Smith era include his "'50's Show," annual Halloween shows, and the popular big band themed show, featuring the "Zoot Suit Riot" and "Jump, Jive, and Wail."
In 2000, Scott and Kristy May(Webmaster's note:was assistant band director when I was there), a husband and wife team, took over the directorship of the fabled Massillon band. The band opened up the new Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and then returned to a national performance with a march down Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C., for the Independence Day Parade in 2001. Following the 2001-2002 school year, Scott and Kristy May resigned from their positions in Massillon, citing irreconcilable differences with certain Board of Education members. Kristy May has accepted the position of Director of Bands at Madison High School, in the Madison Local School District. We here in Massillon wish Scott and Kristy the best of luck in their future endeavors.
The 2002 season has seen the return of Band Director Chris Smith to the helm of the Greatest Show in High School Football. Mr. Smith will be serving in this postion in an interim roll until a permanent band director can be found.
This was an edited version of the history of the Tiger Swing Band written by Robert Wenzel, for the exhibit at the Massillon Museum exhibit titled, "Sacred Turf: The History of Massillon Football" which ran until November 25, 2001 at the Massillon Museum in downtown Massillon. This history was updated for this website by Patrick Wilson at the start of the 2002 football season. To view the complete history of the band by Mr. Wenzel, visit it's website at www.tigerswingband.org. (A site which I helped to create in high school using aolpress.) Mr. Wenzel is a band alumnus, and is the long-time announcer for the Tiger Swing Band.
For the best in Massillon Sports talk please visit www.tigerslair.org
Home | Tiger Swing Band History | 2002 Massillon Football Schedule and Results | Links