The Day The Music Died

There were days in the history of Rocky Mount High school during football season to be in your seat at the football game at the Municipal Stadium just to hear the Rocky Mount High school band march from the high school those three blocks to the stadium.  It would send chill bumps over your body.

The man who put Rocky Mount high school band on the National scene has die.  John C Sykes made it an honor to be in the band.  If you were going to be in the band you were going to perform at a high level at all times and The band won honors all over the United States.  The funeral will be today at 3:00pm at St Andrew's Episcopal Church in Rocky Mount.

I remember living in Ahoskie when Rocky Mount Band would be in the Ahoskie parade you knew something was special when they marched by.  It seemed the band had a hundred or more members  in it but when your band only has thirty five   seventy five is a huge size band.  You could tell they were not the average high school band the way they marched and the sounds that they made playing Jingle Bells.

Syke's led Gryphon band won three National Band Championships in a four year span from 83-86.  They marched in the Rose Bowl parade in Pasadena California, Orange Bowl Parade in Miami twice and  twice Marched in Washington D C in front of U S Presidents. Band Competitions they won Superior ratings 22 times.  If you don't understand how band competitions are graded Superior is the highest  honor given to a winner.

Once retired his life in music did not end as he was a major contributor in the Tar River Swing Band.  He is a member of the Twin Counties Hall Of Fame and has won from East Carolina University the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award.  There is no telling how many musical instruments he has repaired in his lifetime.


It doesn't matter what part of the teaching profession you are in.  Some coaches are able to get more out of players than those players ever thought they could give.  Some teachers are able to get students to find school to be a place of learning and a fun place to be to learn.  John Sykes was able to make his students have the desire that when they played their instrument, march down the street to give it their best at all times and while doing it have fun.  There was a pride when you put on that Black Bird or Gryphon uniform that within you, you were a member of one of the best bands in America. The leader was John C Sykes.