Morgan State's Band 'Magnificent Marching Machine' To Lead Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- For those of you planning on watching Thursday's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the very first band you'll see and hear will be Maryland's very own Morgan State University.
Practice, practice and more practice is what it takes when you're one of only eleven bands chosen to march in the historical Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Morgan State's 'Magnificent Marching Machine' Makes Thanksgiving Day Parade Debut
This band knows pressure having performed for the Ravens, the Governor and a President but prime time television is a whole different atmosphere.
It takes a whole lot of pride said First Base Drummer, Jasmyn Toon.
"All pride no jive just do it," Toon said.
Morgan State University will be the first HBCU in Maryland to ever perform in the parade's history.
"I think it gives us a chance to step out in the world but for the rest of the HBCU culture," she said.
They're not just performing, but leading the parade off as the first band.
The band is called, "The Magnificent Marching Machine," but Band Director Melvin Miles calls it "The Spirit of The University."
"It carries the spirit and it carries all the energy of the University," said Miles.
He says their sound and their steps set them apart from others.
"We have a sound that's our own, moves of our own and we bring a certain kind of individualism to it that's different from any other band you're going to see," he said.
The band will stop at the Macy's Star, toward the end of the two and a half-mile parade route, and perform a specially selected number.
To find out which song will be played, "Tune into your television on Thanksgiving Day and see the Morgan State Band," said the Band Director.