For Sonic Boom of the South Band director Roderick Little every day is Mother's Day
The bass drummer unleashes the booms while the snare drummers drive the rhythm, and the thrum sends the sold-out crowd to its collective feet.
The
Sonic Boom of the South, the crowd-rocking, 300-member marching band of Jackson State University under the direction of
Dr. Roderick Little, has entered Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Little, 38, knows dreams come true because he is living his. Seventeen years ago, he was a member of the band. Now that band, clad at each appearance in crisp blue uniforms complemented by white gloves and white spats over black shoes, performs under his direction. Every move and step are choreographed, and during every halftime show, there are many.
The Sonic Boom of the South is nationally regarded, and so is Little. Best American Craftsman Musical Instruments, a custom instruments manufacturer in Kansas City, Missouri, named Little the 2022 HBCU Band Director of the Year during the company’s inaugural Greatest of All Times award ceremony in December. Jackson State announced the award in late January.
“I appreciate the award,” Little said. “This award makes me realize that there are eyes on us. That our band is an ambassador for Jackson State University.”
Looking back, as the Sonic Boom gets set for Saturday's homecoming festivities — including the parade at 8 a.m. and halftime show at intermission against Alabama State — it may have been inevitable that Little would lead the band to these heights.
Music became a part of Roderick Little's life at an early age
The band has countless enthusiastic fans, but Little says his mother, Linda Little, is his biggest. She may be proudest that Roderick Little is the first person in his family to graduate from college, but his achievement since would be a close second.
“My mom always believed in me,” he said. “She always motivated me, and she knew that something big was going to come up in my life.
“My mom is always my biggest fan. She watches all of the YouTube videos, and she wants to talk about the band all of the time when we are at family functions and things like that. She’s over the moon and excited about it.”
If not for the belief of his mother, Linda Little. Sonic Boom Band director Roderick Little knows that his success might be harder to come by
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