Who We Are

History

The band was established in December 1970 as the Tullahoma Kiwanis Community Band and was directed by Ralph James. The first documented performance was on March 23, 1971. The band at that time played mostly marches and concert-style music. They were the featured band at every Fourth of July Kiwanis celebration from 1971 through 1988. 

The first mention of the creation of the South Jackson Street Band was in 1987, and it was directed by Bob Carter. Bob continued as director for quite a few years and continued playing with the band as others stepped into the leadership role.

The band is now styled as a big band and plays the hits of yesterday as well as the popular hits of today. Our repertoire of over 400 songs ranges from the sounds of the Glen Miller and Artie Shaw orchestras of the 1930s and 1940s to the contemporary artistry of Gillespie, Elton John, the Beatles, and Billy Joel. The band also handles many styles of music, including swing, Latin, waltz, polka, foxtrot, and even some rock and pop numbers.

Our current members come from all walks of life. Former and current band directors, engineers, physical therapists, store managers, retirees, etc.  One thing they have in common is their love of the big band style of music. All are dedicated volunteers, and we rehearse twice a month. The band plays between 4 and 6 gigs a year. We also have a very extensive list of substitute instrumentalists and vocalists that we can draw from if one of our primary personnel is unable to perform.

In the early spring of 2023, we were given a treasure trove of information and documentation from Coleen Saunders, a member of the South Jackson Civic Center and wife of the late Grady Saunders. Grady was a longtime member of the SJS Band. Grady was an engineer and kept meticulous notes and documentation about the history of the band. We are still going through the information, but here is where it all began.

There have been several directors and leaders of the SJS band through the years. The most recent leaders include Brian Guess, Mike Chilcutt, and Tom Breese. Allen Johnson currently leads the band. Allen stepped into the band leader role in the winter of 2018 after joining the band in 2015.

Instrumentation

South Jackson Street Band utilizes the standard 17-member big band setup of 5/4/4/4. This split denotes the different sections in the band, which are:

• 5 Saxophones
  • (2) Alto Sax
  • (2) Tenor Sax
  • (1) Baritone Sax
• 4 Trombones (including Bass Trombone)
• 4 Trumpets
• Rhythm
  • 1 Piano
  • 1 Guitar
  • 1 Bass
  • 1 Drummer

The band is rounded out with a Male and Female vocalist that front the band. Add in our sound technician, and the band is 20 members strong.

The SJS Band performs as a whole group. We do not offer smaller ensembles within our band for hire, as we feel this detracts from the essence of the foundation of the big band style that the SJS Band fashions itself after.

Venues

You can join us for one of our public performances, say at a local restaurant or civic event, or hire us to play for your public or private function. Just a few of our typical venues:

• Restaurants
• Wedding receptions
• Company events
• Fundraisers
• Civic events
• Birthdays
• Reunions
• Patriotic events
• Dinner dances
• Dance class groups

Coverage Area

The South Jackson Street Band will play anywhere within a 100 mile radius of Tullahoma, Tennessee. This includes all of middle Tennessee, much of northern Alabama, the northwest corner of Georgia, and a few counties in Kentucky. This is not a hard limit, so please contact us about our availability in your area.