NASHVILLE, Tenn. ñ Vanderbilt University’s Spirit of Gold Marching Band is used to maintaining a diverse repertoire. They entertain the fans during football games at Dudley Field with everything from Vanderbilt’s traditional fight song to standards to pop favorites, such as Queen’s We Will Rock You and Jimmy Eat World’s The Middle–all in the spirit of connecting with the crowd.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Spirit of Gold will perform a selection of Motown favorites–and feature two musicians linked to Motown’s heyday–for a special halftime show during the Commodores’ game against Georgia Tech.
Robert Knight will perform his uptempo romantic classic Everlasting Love, a top 20 hit on both the R&B and pop charts in 1967. Knight, a Franklin, Tenn., native, sang with The Paramounts in the 1960s and is now a Vanderbilt employee.
Bob Babbitt, a veteran studio musician for many R&B and Motown classics, played electric bass on such hits as My Girl for The Temptations and I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) for The Four Tops. He’ll be accompanied by the 180 members-strong Spirit of Gold in a medley of the tunes he helped make famous.
Today between 4:30-6 p.m., Knight and Babbitt will join the Spirit of Gold in a special practice for their Sept. 27 show.
Vanderbilt’s Spirit of Gold Marching Band is under the direction of Dwayne Sagen, director of Vanderbilt bands and assistant dean of the University’s Blair School of Music, and incorporates students from several local universities.
WHAT:Special Motown halftime performance by Vanderbilt’s Spirit of Gold Marching Band. Motown hit makers Robert Knight and Bob Babbitt featured.
WHEN:Saturday, Sept. 27, Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech.
Special practice today, Monday, Sept. 15, 4:30-6 p.m.
Media Contact: Kara Furlong, (615) 322-NEWS kara.c.furlong@vanderbilt.edu