Photo by Ryan Gladstone / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Robbie Betts quiets his cymbal during a Monday night practice of the Benton Rolling Alumni Band. The band was formed to play at Benton's 100th Anniversary celebration in 2004.

There’s a 20-foot-tall scarred and splintered wooden cross hanging over Robbie Betts’ head, and it’s making him kind of nervous. After all, it’s not often that he has a religious symbol taller than most one-story homes joining him for a performance.

He and his drum set are center stage, with the other members of the Benton Rolling Alumni Band creating a semi-circle behind him at their set at the Huffman Memorial United Methodist Church for the 10:45 a.m. service, their third of four local church performances. The band’s leader, John Reese, steps up to the microphone to encourage the congregation to sing along to their version of the hymn “Standing on the Promises.” Whether the congregation knows it or not, thanks to the Benton Rolling Alumni Band, this will not be a quiet Sunday service. Things are about to get loud.

The John Reese

Connection

Before Mr. Reese became the leader of the Benton Rolling Alumni Band, the band performed for him.

Mr. Reese, who taught music at Benton High School for 17 years until 1986, retired from teaching in 1999 from Hyde Elementary School. As a surprise that would recall a scene from the film “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” a group of Reese’s former students got together to play his retirement ceremony.

Photo by Ryan Gladstone / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Benton Rolling Alumni band members Chuck Davis (left), Betty Davis and Terry Grace practice in a Southside garage ahead of the band's Huffman Memorial Methodist gig.

The band later reformed, with the addition of Mr. Reese, to play Benton High School’s 100th anniversary celebration in 2005.

They continue to play as the Benton Rolling Alumni Band, and if you ask Mr. Reese, the reasoning is simple.

“Even if you’re not going to be a pro, you can still play your instrument,” Mr. Reese says. “It’s really nothing deep. It’s that a bunch of people wanted to play.”

The pep band, with members ranging from graduating classes from 1969 to 1986, has evolved over the years. Some have stuck with it. Others have left. New members have joined. But they all share two things in common: they’re all Benton alumni and they have the John Reese connection.

“Obviously, Mr. Reese is the band,” says Chuck Davis, bass drum player, class of ‘72. “That’s the main piece of the puzzle.”

On A Roll

There’s a good chance you’ve already seen the Benton Rolling Alumni Band perform. They’ve played Benton basketball games, St. Joe Blacksnakes baseball games and have rolled through parades like the Southside Fall Festival, Mardi Gras and St. Patty’s Day (they’re called a “rolling” band for a reason).

After meeting regularly in the Benton High band room, they recently decided to change their practice location to Mr. Betts’ garage, where the 1981 graduate keeps his drum kit.

The band, with a brass section, flute, marching bass drum, bass guitar and drum set, cram into Mr. Betts’ tool-laden garage and run through pep band versions of “Amazing Grace” and “I Will Stand For the Lord” for their upcoming church performances. The group also blasts through energetic and voluminous renditions of “Rock Around the Clock” (a very fitting song considering the 1952 Chevy half-ton pickup with red and yellow flames in the driveway) and ‘70s classic rock staples like “Low Rider” and “Detroit Rock City” for their tour of local elementary schools. Comments are thrown out like “watch your flats and sharps” as they look at the music on their stands and Mr. Reese, or “Daddy Reese” as Mr. Betts likes to call him, occasionally will man his baritone one-handed while conducting with his left hand in particular sections. But the constant razzing and laughter between songs immediately shows that school is out.

Photo by Ryan Gladstone / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

The Benton Rolling Alumni Band performs during the 10:45 a.m. service at Huffman Memorial Methodist Church on Sunday, March 30, 2008.

“When it was band class, it was a whole different monster to a degree because you have performances you have to gear up for,” Mr. Davis says. “We play what we want to play. Nobody’s getting a grade. The pressure is only from us wanting to perform at a certain level.”

But of all of the band’s performances, they get the most reward from playing for local elementary schools. The sound of their instruments get instant reactions from the kids. Smiles. The occasional dancing. Aside from entertaining, Mr. Reese hopes that the band’s performances can open kids’ eyes to the joy of playing music.

“It’s harder for band directors to keep kids,” Mr. Reese says. “What we are trying to stress is that it can be fun.”

At Your Service

Fun is what much of the congregation at Huffman Memorial United Methodist Church is having during the band’s performance. Piercing trumpets and rumbling drums reverberate off of the church’s brick walls, stained-glass windows and high ceiling. People are tapping their feet and smiling. One little blonde-haired girl in a red dress is plugging her ears, while two girls in front of her are using pens as drumsticks, tapping out a beat on the pew. The band plays three songs and exits to extended applause only to come back at the conclusion of the service to perform a final song.

They start traditionally enough with the intro to the hymn “Bringing in the Sheaves,” but then the band pulls a fast one on the congregation. Mr. Betts executes a speedy drum fill and the band performs a fast-paced rendition of “When The Saints Go Marching In.” People exiting the church immediately turn their heads. Most begin to smile or laugh with jubilation. The choir claps along to the beat. One or two people can be seen dancing in the aisle. The song ends and the crowd woots and yells in affirmation.

As the band packs up, Mr. Reese says that the music “did what I was hoping it would do.”

Moments like this are what the Benton Rolling Alumni Band lives for — when they see the joy their music brings and the thrill they get from playing music with each other. But behind the melody lies a message: That the fire for music doesn’t have to be extinguished when high school is over. Just pick up your instrument and see what happens.

Lifestyles reporter Blake Hannon can be reached

at blakehannon@npgco.com