My Tribute to the Leader of the Band

Reflecting over the years, I can look back and see where the Lord blessed me by placing individuals in my path who greatly impacted my life. These individuals came into my life at pivotal times and helped instill traits like a strong work ethic and the importance of integrity and accountability. They provided me opportunities where I was blessed to form life-long friendships and bonds that made me a better person than I could ever have been alone. God used these individuals to help mold and shape me into who I am. One of these was my high school band director, Ernest O. Hebson, Jr.

This past week, I learned Mr. Hebson, age 84, joined the Lord's Heavenly ensemble. He was the founding director of the Fort Walton Beach High School "Pride of the Miracle Strip" Viking Band. He invested 30 years (1969-1999) and touched thousands of young lives, building a program rooted in tradition through the motto, "Excellence Without Exception." I was blessed to be one of those lives touched and changed when my family moved to Fort Walton for the final two years of my high school education in the summer of 1977.

Mr. Hebson's legendary leadership taught by example several life principles that went well beyond music and impacted many lives, mine included. One principle was the importance of being a part of something bigger than self. Only someone of Mr. Hebson's caliber could consistently take a group of teenagers with a wide range of abilities, motivations, and talents and mold them into a high-performing machine. His ability to do this gave us opportunities to perform in prominent events like the Rose and Orange Bowl Parades, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Ronald Reagan's Inaugural Parade, to name a few - events that only a very few high school bands would ever have the privilege of participating in.

The last thing any Viking Band member wanted to do was to let their section or our band leader down, which led to another lifelong Hebson principle: the power of high expectations combined with support and the push for continuous improvement. It didn't matter if you were a naturally gifted musician or an average player, Mr. Hebson fostered a desire to take what was already "good" and make it even better. How often did we hear him say, "One more time"? More times than any of us could count!!!

I can't help but think of some of the lyrics of Dan Fogelberg's beautiful song, Leader of the Band:

"But his blood runs through my instrument

And his song is in my soul

My life has been a poor attempt

To imitate the man

I'm just a living legacy

To the leader of the band

I am a living legacy to the leader of the band."

I join many in offering my heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Hebson, Trey, Reed, and their families. I hope you will feel a sense of the admiration, love, and gratitude so many of us have for this remarkable soul - Our Leader of the Band.

Robert Trigg

Class of 1979