2 previous bands achieve Sweepstakes
By Donnie A. Lucas
Not to diminish any of the success of the Albany High School band earning a sweepstakes award last week, but the current group is not the first Albany band – or even the second – to earn the distinguished designation.
The News stated last week that the sweepstakes award was “thought” to be the first in program history. However, several readers of the newspaper quickly pointed out the mistake.
Unfortunately, records of such events are not easily accessible, not just for the band program but including other accomplishments of Albany students in years past.
The Lion band of 1961-1962 won a sweepstakes award after earning a pair of Division I ratings in concert and sightreading in the spring of 1962, having already taken a I rating in marching the prior November.
Former band member Lynne Teinert noted in an email that the 61-62 band was under the direction of Eddie Green when the honor was earned. Green, an Albany native, went on to become a noted band director and teacher at the University of Houston.
That award is now thought to be the first, but that fact isn’t absolute either.
Teinert noted the serendipitous coincidence of her grandson, John Birkla, being a member of the current band – a 60-year span.
An AHS band also won the sweepstakes honor during the 1981-82 school year, which was under the direction of Weldon McCutchen.
Michelle Alexander contacted the News to report that information.
“We just asked the wrong people about it when we were attempting to verify that this year was the first time,” editor Melinda Lucas said. “We should have remembered the 1982 award since that has been since we purchased the newspaper in 1977. We certainly apologize for the error.”
Lucas is asking that if any former members of either of the earlier sweepstakes bands of 1962 and 1982 have a connection to the current band or its members to let her know.
“We may put together a feature that includes Lynne and her grandson, and if there are any other connections between these three sweepstakes bands, please let us know,” she said.
The 2021-2022 band received Division I ratings from both the concert and sightreading judges last week, along with a Division I rating in marching last fall. They advanced to the area marching contest for the first time last fall as well, or at least that is thought to be the first time.
The band won a Division II in marching in 2020, followed by a pair of Division I ratings in concert and sight reading last spring during Vaughan’s first year at the helm. He is assisted by his wife, Danna Vaughan.
Vaughan said the group will begin working on music for the end-of-year concert.
He added that he is glad that the program has a storied history, and he plans to make it more apparent to future players.
