Page 34 - NCAT Magazine Fall 2018

Marching on

bAnd celebrAtes 100-yeAr legAcy

By Jordan M. Howse

The Blue and Gold Marching Machine (BGMM) is the
heartbeat of North Carolina A&T, and Aggie Pride runs
deep through the veins of every musician who graced the
field at BB&T Stadium in the illustrious uniforms and shined
white spats.

Kenneth Ruff ’90 has led the BGMM since 2003. He leaves
a lasting impression on his students but insists that his
students leave a lasting impression on the band.

“Dr. Ruff always tells us that we set the standard and that
we’re ambassadors of the university,” said Chalay Horne,
a junior clarinet section leader from Delaware. “People are
looking at us, so we have to always be our best.”

Being a part of the marching band isn’t just an
extracurricular activity, Horne said. Some students come to
A&T just to be a part of it like sousaphone section leader
Darius Smith, a senior music education major from Georgia.
“After watching the band and doing some research on the
program, I knew I wanted to be a part of the Blue and Gold
Marching Machine,” he said.
For some alumni, the love for the university and the band
is bred in them. Terrell Morton ’11 was born into A&T’s band,
literally.
“My mother and father met at A&T in the band, and many
of the students in A&T’s band during that time (1988-
1990) helped raise me, including my uncle Nian Avery, who
marched in the band; Dr. Ruff, who was a drum major at the
time; and the then-band director, Dr. Johnny Hodge.”

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