BATON ROUGE — Cheers, pride and tradition echoed across Baton Rouge as Southern University and A&M College’s famed marching band, the Human Jukebox, was celebrated for a historic national achievement: earning the title of 2025 ESPN Band of the Year. This prestigious award, handed out by ESPN and Red Lobster, is reserved exclusively for Division I HBCU bands, making this a milestone not just for the band, but for the entire community.
In recognition of that accomplishment, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sid Edwards presented the Human Jukebox with the Key to the City, honoring the band’s excellence and its role as a cultural ambassador for Baton Rouge, Southern University and the state of Louisiana.
“The Human Jukebox represents excellence not only in music, but also in pride and tradition,” Edwards said. “This band has carried the name of Baton Rouge and Southern University onto the national stage with honor. Presenting the Key to the City is our way of recognizing the legacy of the Human Jukebox.”
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A National Stage and a Championship Performance
The national title came after months of competition, culminating in a live showdown in Atlanta, Georgia, during ESPN’s national collegiate marching band competition. Southern earned its spot by submitting performance videos throughout the season, ultimately advancing to compete head-to-head against other top Division I HBCU programs.
Southern claimed first place.
“We were recognized as the national band of the year by Red Lobster and ESPN, and that is solely an honor for HBCU bands in Division I, which is what we are,” said Southern University Director of Bands, Dr. Kedric Taylor. “The way you get chosen is you have to submit videos throughout the year — performances, halftimes — and from that, you’re selected to compete. This time, it wasn’t video. It was live.”
The Human Jukebox’s championship halftime performance, themed “The Stars of the Show,” was a celebration of legendary entertainers, classic sitcoms and influential artists who paved the way for today’s performers, while also spotlighting “Louisiana’s finest.”
“The idea was to celebrate the stars of all the sitcoms in the world and major artists that paved the way for the new artists,” Taylor said. “And then we brought out Louisiana’s finest.”
Triumph Through Tragedy
Beyond the precision, power and pageantry, this victory carried deeper meaning. The band’s journey has been marked by hardship and loss over recent years, including the passing of former band member Caleb Wilson, whose legacy continues to inspire the program.
“It means a lot, especially for us, having been through so much,” Taylor said. “We’ve faced a lot of tragedy over the past four or five years, and to be at this point, it just speaks to life and perseverance.”
Taylor said the band remains closely connected to Wilson’s family and intentionally honors his memory through their work and unity.
“When he became a part of the Human Jukebox, he was our family, and that made his family our family,” Taylor said. “We keep pushing through for Caleb and continue to let his legacy live on. We’re doing this for Caleb. He may not be here physically, but he’s with us spiritually.”
Academic Excellence Behind the Sound
Southern University Chancellor John K. Pierre said watching the competition on ESPN was a moment of immense pride, comparing the band’s preparation and execution to the biggest stages in sports.
“It was like they were preparing for the Super Bowl or the national championship game,” Pierre said. “The precision was wonderful. They were simply outstanding.”
Pierre emphasized that what makes the achievement even more remarkable is that most band members are not music majors.
“When you think about the students in the marching band, probably 80% of them do not major in music,” Pierre said. “They major in engineering, accounting, nursing, political science, mass communications, criminal justice, chemistry, biology — so many different areas. The fact that they can do this while maintaining rigorous academic standards is just a wonderful story.”
He called the band a family defined by discipline, commitment and excellence.
“They are fantastic students, fantastic performers, and they represent the university so very well wherever they go,” Pierre said. “We’re extremely proud of the Human Jukebox, Dr. Kedric Taylor and his staff, and of course, the fabulous Dancing Dolls.”
A Living Legacy of Excellence
Known worldwide for its precision, innovative drills and unmistakable sound, the Human Jukebox continues to set the gold standard for HBCU marching bands — not only as entertainers, but as symbols of resilience, scholarship and pride.
As the Key to the City now rests with the band, the message from Baton Rouge is clear: the Human Jukebox is more than a marching band — it is a living legacy, carrying Southern University’s spirit to the national stage and beyond.
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