One hundred thirty feet slam into the ground, high-stepping across the field on a hot, sticky Wednesday evening. The Mustang Band, the Hub of SMU Spirit, has been working hard since a week before school started in preparation for this year’s fall football season.

Marching its traditional high-step and playing with the sound that got the group nominated for a Grammy in 1998 for its album Highroad on the Hilltop, the band is working hard to learn two brand-new halftime shows simultaneously.

“This is extraordinary. It’ll be the hardest thing [they] do all year,” said David T. Kehler, the band’s director.

During the last three weeks, first-years have been introduced to new basic marching fundamentals and returning members reviewed them. Marching drill for the pre-game show, which takes place before the beginning of each SMU home game, and the year’s first two half-time shows were learned during this brief, yet intense, time period.

The band’s first show, to be performed Saturday during the game against Navy, is a “river” show, including performances of “Proud Mary,” Lazy River” and “Old Man River.”

Its next show will be a celebration of Elvis, featuring “It’s Now or Never,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Love me Tender.”

“It’s hot, and it’s hard. But it’s all worth it,” said trumpet player Randy Ward.

Trombone player Cory Plunk agrees.

“Band is the hardest I work all year; combining a very distinctive marching style with a unique musical style … is a real challenge,” Plunk said.

According to the band’s Web site, the Mustang Band plays jazz “full and loud … with all the gusto of three or four stage bands blowing at the same time. It’s far larger than life … a wide screen explosion of brass and percussion that belts across the field with the turbulence of a Texas whirlwind.”

The band’s unique jazz sound began in 1926 and has become its trademark, making them the only band to consistently play jazz on the marching field.

In-house arranger and assistant band director Tommy Tucker III, now creates all of the band’s music. Tucker has been with the band for 28 years, since he joined as a student playing tenor sax and piano.

“I love the style of music we do [and] I love working with college age people. It’s a great place to be. I’ve loved this place since I got here in 1973,” Tucker said.

As the hub of SMU spirit since 1958, the Mustang Band carries many of the traditions of SMU, including the almost-forgotten first-year beanie. At one time, all entering first-years at SMU wore green beanies. The university abandoned the beanie tradition sometime in the late ’50s, leaving football players and band members the only people wearing them on campus.

Today “the privilege of the beanie” is afforded only to members of the Mustang Band. As a sign of their commitment to school spirit, the band members wear their beanies during rehearsals, the fourth quarter of Mustang football games and the last five minutes of every basketball game.

In a welcoming gesture to Phil Bennett, SMU’s new football coach, the Diamond M Club, the band’s alumni organization, presented Bennett with an honorary beanie.

“They’re a vital part of the university’s heritage and instrumental to our success on the field,” Bennett said.

“The band adds to the environment. They set the tempo of the game. They’re invaluable. It takes everyone working hand in hand to create a successful atmosphere. I hope we give ’em plenty to play about.”

Alan Garcia, head of Mustang Maniacs, agrees.

“They’re just awesome!” Garcia said. “They’re the biggest supporters of any athletic event on campus; they’re huge fans, all of them. Even when they’re not playing, they always show up to cheer and show encouragement for all the athletic activities on campus.”

One of the most important aspects to the Mustang Band is the spirit and unity they represent. In another tradition of the band, band members yell coming down the ramp leading to the band hall as an audible demonstration of their energy and spirit for an upcoming athletic event.

Demonstrating their enthusiasm and energy to the students, alumni, faculty and guests of the university at every athletic performance, band members stand throughout Mustang football and basketball games, cheering the ponies to victory.

“I’m excited about every game. Woo!” said baritone player Jeff Bartlett

Band members want students and faculty to show support for their teams by filling the stadium at every game.