July 18, 2024

East Mississippi Community College has tapped Kemper County native Daniel Wade to fill the position of band director for the Mighty Lion Band.

The hire represents a homecoming for Wade, who graduated from EMCC in 1999. As a student, he marched and played trombone for the Mighty Lion Band during athletic events and played saxophone during the band's orchestra performances.

"I am excited to come back to EMCC and work with the band that gave me my start," Wade said. "If it wasn't for EMCC, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Wade has worked for nearly two decades with Neshoba Central High School's Big Blue Band, serving six years as assistant director before taking over as head band director in 2011. During that span, the band has earned high accolades that culminated with a Mississippi Band Directors Association/Mississippi High School Activities Association State Championship last year, besting 10 other marching bands in the 6A category for the title.

During Wade's tenure, the band has consistently earned Superior Ratings, ranking in the top-five several times over the past eight years, with a third-place finish in 2021. In February, Wade was named the East Central Mississippi Band Directors' 2024 Director of the Year.

"We are pleased to have Daniel return to EMCC to take over the Mighty Lion Band," EMCC Director of Athletics and Dean of Students/Scooba Campus Sharon Thompson said. "As an alumnus, he is familiar with our program and the communities we serve. Daniel is a natural fit to fulfill our commitment to providing an exemplary experience for our band students on the field and in the classroom."

Wade, whose first day on the job was July 1, replaces former EMCC Band Director Chris King, who accepted a position with Meridian Community College, which is closer to his home in Quitman. Wade will be assisted by EMCC Assistant Band Director Ben Neal, who also serves as the director of percussion and director of the Mighty Lion Drum Line.

Wade will oversee the Mighty Lion Band's various components, which include a marching band, a jazz band, a percussion ensemble, a color guard and the EMCC Symphonic Winds. Wade said he would like to bring back the dance team, which was in place up until last year.

"Our goal will be to grow enrollment in the band and improve the quality of instruction," Wade said. "When our band members leave EMCC to attend their next school of choice, we want them to be equipped with the tools, skills and education they need to carry on at the next level."

A lot has changed since Wade was a member of the Mighty Lion Band. When he was attending EMCC on the Scooba campus, the band hall was located in the building that now houses EMCC's Human Resources offices and those of the college's police department. The band now has its own dedicated facility in the Dottie Smith Family Center for Instrumental Music Education.

"That is one of the finest band halls in the junior college world and we are very lucky to have it," Wade said. "There is nothing that compares to it and that will really help in us getting new band students to come to EMCC."

Wade's student-centered education philosophy was fostered at EMCC under the tutelage of the band director at that time, Bobbie Gibson, who was retired from a decades-long career in high school education. Gibson came to EMCC to restart the band program at the college, which had previously shut down, Wade said.

"What made her so special was she did not do it for herself," Wade said. "She had already finished her career but she came to Scooba to revive the band program. She took care of her students and made us do what we needed to do. She wanted to ensure we had what we needed in order to succeed.

"Tom Goode was the football coach at the time and he was a good friend of the band as well. He always made sure we had what we needed. The football team made it to the playoffs one year and he wanted the band to attend an away game during the playoffs but it wasn't in the band's budget. Coach Goode made it happen so we could be there for the game."

Wade said he has noticed in his short time back at EMCC that one thing that hasn't changed is the commitment among faculty, staff, administrators and coaches to ensuring students are provided individual attention.

"There is a family atmosphere at EMCC you don't see at other places," he said. "I am excited to see that is still a big part of what makes EMCC so special."

Kemper County also holds a special place in Wade's heart. He grew up in the community of Oak Grove near Porterville. After graduating from EMCC, he attended Mississippi State University, earning a bachelor's degree in Music Education, and William Carey University where he earned a master's degree, also in Music Education.

He taught music at Kemper County High School for 18 months while still enrolled at MSU, later accepting the assistant director position at Neshoba Central. Wade resides in Neshoba County in the community of House with his wife, Ashley, who also has a background in music education and assumed his position as the head band director of Neshoba Central.

The couple has four children. Their daughter, Ally Mitchell, is a 2020 graduate of EMCC who played clarinet for the Mighty Lion Band and was a member of the color guard. She teaches second grade at Neshoba Central.

Their oldest son, Noah, will soon start at MSU to study music education and aspires to be a band director like his dad. He is currently touring the U.S. with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps based out of Boston, Massachusetts. The couple also has identical twins, Charlton and Elias, age 8.

When he has time, Wade enjoys deer hunting, fishing and coin collecting. His wife enjoys horseback riding and the twins love baseball.

"We are active in everything," Wade said. "I'm really looking forward to being a part of EMCC where everyone has a heart for the kids."