Doyle D. Thornton, Director
The Bob Jones High School Band is directed by Doyle D. Thornton, who is greatly respected and much loved by students and parents. Most schools with close to 200 marching band members and 150 in concert season have an entire band directing staff. Up until this year, Mr. Thornton did it alone. It's with great pleasure -- and a bit of relief--that we welcome Stewart Thorson as assistant director for the 1999-2000 year.
Rehearsing for the Winter Concert |
Conducting at the Alabama Band Masters State Competition....where we got straight superior ratings. |
Sweating it out at Band Camp |
Leading the National Anthem at a football
game |
As long as he has his coffee and honey buns, Mr. Thornton's a happy guy and his
easy-going good nature rubs off on the students. The cooperation and team spirit is
evident everywhere, from section leaders to the results of the competitions we
attend. But being nice isn't everything. You'll see more proof of Mr. Thornton's successes
as you look down the long list of full college music scholarships awarded to his students,
the rows of trophies and plaques in the band room--and the way the kids' faces brighten as
they walk in the bandroom for class.
Are those bunny ears for Terrance?
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In the Band Booster Jail at the Street Festival
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Mr. Thornton is an Alabama native, spent a few years living and teaching in Georgia and has been in Alabama directing the Patriots Band since 1989. In that time span he's taken a band made up of a dozen kids and developed them into a 200-strong marching dynamo. The number of trophies, awards and honors presented to the band grows every year, and the band performs at many community events.
This testimonial to Mr. Thornton was NOT written,
solicited or paid for by DDT himself.