Big Deal: Ooltewah Band Set For 2017 Rose Bowl Parade

Owls Have Also Played Macy's, Disney's And Chicago Events

  • Thursday, September 17, 2015
  • Larry Fleming

Go west, young Owls. Go west.

That’s exactly what the Ooltewah High School band is now planning to do.

City, county and school officials announced Thursday that the Owls’ band, directed by Joel Denton, has been invited to participate in the 2017 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, Calif.

The Rose Bowl invitation follows the band’s appearances in Macy’s, Disney’s and Chicago parades.

None are as prestigious as the Rose Bowl.

“I’m so excited,” said junior Sarah McHone, bouncing up and down as she spoke.

“The Rose Bowl is something I’ve always wanted to do. You see it on TV and never think you could be out there one day marching down the street.

“We did Macy’s and that was amazing. But California is all the way across the country and I’ve never been anywhere close to there. I’m so happy.”

McHone, a junior, plays the French horn.

Said junior trumpet player Alec Brenner, when he learned the band would be heading to the Rose Bowl in 2017, “I thought back to when I first wanted to do band. You see bands doing the parades and think, ‘Wow.’ I’ve always wanted to do the next-best-thing in my music career, and this is such a big deal because I can take a huge step with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The announcement was made in front of city and county officials, including Chattanooga Mayor Andy Burke and Hamilton County Court Clerk Larry Henry, the school administration, band members and students that filled the school’s Little Theater.

Denton, who is in his 35th year as band director, was as emotional and excited as anyone in the room.

“We’re the only band in Tennessee that will have done Macy’s, Disney’s, Chicago and the Rose Bowl,” he said. “Only five bands from our state have done the Rose Bowl and just six or seven had done Macy’s parade.

“My son sometimes reminds me what a little ol’ country band we had 30 years ago, but now when you say our name around music people statewide and nationally they know our band. When we last did Macy’s (2013) I received e-mails from across the world.”

Ooltewah principal Jim Jarvis echoed the most often heard sentiment about the high-status invitation the school learned of last week.

“This is an honor that comes along once-in-a-lifetime,” he said. “The community and these young people have worked very hard to promote our band to where it is recognized statewide and nationally. Obviously, to receive an invitation like this you have done a lot of things right for a long time.

“Mr. Denton has put his heart and soul into this band over the years and from my perspective, this is payment for all his hard work and dedication to these young people.”

Denton said he initially applied for a spot with the Rose Bowl music committee in 2015, with hopes of appearing in the 2016 parade. He sent letters of recommendation from community leaders, prominent band people from across the country and a “tremendous” letter from Jarvis. He also turned in letters from the CEO and chief judge of Bands of America, and from Macy’s and Disney parade officials.

“The Rose Bowl people loved the way we costumed and how unique we were,” Denton said.

Ooltewah was a finalist for the 2016 parade, but, according to Denton, the committee president has the final say and he had picked a theme that he was “unsure that we could bring to life,” Denton said.

Ooltewah was “rolled over for the 2017 batch of applicants and reapplied, using the same videos, many of the same recommendation letters.

Again the school was among the 25 or so finalists, whittled from a list of approximately 500 schools.

This time, however, Ooltewah made the cut.

So, the Owls will be among the 20 bands marching in the 2017 Tournament of Roses parade.

Seven of the 20 bands in the parade are annual participants -- two college bands and five bands regional to the Rose Bowl. That leaves 13 slots open annually to bands from across America.

A video featuring a Rose Bowl music committee spokesman was played to officially announce Ooltewah’s selection before dignitaries gave brief comments, which elicited several cheers from the audience.

Asked how she will spend the next year-plus preparing for the Rose Bowl parade, McHone said, “The only thing we can do is keep working, improving and preparing ourselves for the trip to Pasadena.”

Added Benner, “I know the Rose Bowl is a big deal. My mother has always watched the parade on TV and she’s told me it’s a big deal.”

Jarvis reinforced that idea.

“It’s the granddaddy of all bowl games,” he said. “I don’t know where you go from here. Maybe the Super Bowl, I guess. We’re thrilled that Joel and these young people have received this honor and  look forward to watching them perform in Pasadena.”

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44) 

 

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