Whether in person or on a YouTube video, whenever Grambling State’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band entered the field at halftime for a performance, you’ve likely heard a familiar voice that echoed, “Who let all that funk in here?”
The voice was that of longtime GSU band announcer Leon Thomas III who died Wednesday from complications of colon cancer at the age of 50.
“On behalf of Christy & I, & the entire #GramFam, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Leon Thomas, III. We will all miss his presence & voice. We will keep his parents & his brother in our prayers.”-GSU Prez “Rick” Gallot #TheVoiceofGrambling https://t.co/13xveK9CBO pic.twitter.com/Rit5hIxtEX
— Grambling State Univ (@Grambling1901) June 23, 2021
“On behalf of Christy and I, and the entire Grambling Family, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Leon Thomas, III. We will all miss his physical presence and voice, but we know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), Grambling State University President Rick Gallot said in a statement. ” We will keep his parents, Leon and Irene Thomas, as well as his brother Leron in our prayers.”
Also read: Grambling State to name California junior college coach next offensive coordinator
A Grambling, Louisiana native, Thomas graduated from GSU with a degree in Mass Communications in 1994 and was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
“Whether you knew him as Leon, LT, or The Voice, he always left a lasting impression, no matter the circumstance. Whether he was announcing a G-Men football game, halftime for the World Famed Tiger Marching Band, Calendar Girl Pageant, or other Grambling events too numerous to list, you felt his love for Grambling State University,” the statement said.
Thomas’s funeral services are set for Saturday at 11.00 a.m. at the T.H. Harris Auditorium on the GSU campus.
