Crowd Of 2,000

Plus 1,500 Band

Members Enjoy

The Annual Event

By JIM FELTMAN

Staff Photographer

All five high school bands in Greene County were among 17 bands performing at the fifth annual "Greeneville Band Classic on Saturday at Tusculum College's Pioneer Field.

Kay Grissom, chairman of the event, said more than 1,500 band members from East Tennessee and Virginia participated in the day-long event and estimated that more than 2,000 spectators also attended.

"It was a good festival. The weather was great and everything went smoothly," Grissom said.

Two local bands performed but did not compete in the event. The North Greene band opened the festival by performing the national anthem, and the Greeneville High School Band closed the event with a performance of this year's half-time show, "Friday Night Frights."

Portable Bleachers Collapse

An unfortunate accident occurred near the close of the event about 7:15 p.m. when a set of portable bleachers collapsed.

One person was taken by ambulance to a local hospital to have an ankle examined, but Grissom said the patient had been released by about 8:30. (See other accompanying article.)

Grissom had nothing but praise for the way the event's first-aid nurses, members of the Greeneville Emergency and Rescue Squad and Emergency Medical Services responded.

"They were right there as soon as it happened and handled the situation very well," Grissom said.

"There was no chaos or panic, and most people at the event didn't even know the stands had collapsed," she added.

Other competing bands were from Cloudland, Red Bank, Sullivan East, Chilhowee, Patrick Henry, Cocke County, Elizabethton, Abingdon, Morristown-West, Carter, Powell and Science Hill high schools.

Ratings Of Bands

The results for Class A-1 include:

* Cloudland High School Band -- rating of excellent; 1st place for percussion; first place for drum major; and 1st place for band;

* South Greene High School Band -- rating of good; second place for percussion; second place for band.

The results for Class A-2 include:

* Chuckey-Doak High School Band -- rating of excellent.

* Red Bank High School Band -- rating of excellent, first place for percussion; first place for band.

* Sullivan-East High School Band -- rating of excellent; second place for color guard; second place for drum major.

* West Greene High School Band -- rating of excellent; first place for color guard; first place for drum major, second place for band.

The results for Class AA include:

* Chilhowie High School Band -- rating of excellent; second place for percussion.

* Cocke County High School Band -- rating of superior; second place for color guard; second place for band.

* Patrick Henry High School Band -- tating of superior; first place for color guard; first place for percussion; first place for drum major; first place for band.

The results for Class AAA include:

* Abingdon High School Band -- rating of superior; second place for color guard; second place for percussion; second place for band.

* Elizabethton High School Band -- rating of superior; first place for color guard; first place for percussion; second place for drum major; first place for band.

* Morristown West High School Band -- rating of superior; first place for drum major.

The results for Class AAAA include:

* Carter High School Band -- rating of superior; first place for majorettes.

* Powell High School Band -- rating of superior; second place for majorettes; second place for color guard; second place for percussion; first place for drum major; second place for band.

Science Hill High School Band -- rating of superior; first place for color guard; first place for percussion; second place for drum major; first place for band.

The Class A-2A grand champion award went to Patrick Henry High School Band; the Class 3A-4A grand champion award went to the Science Hill High School Band; and the festival champion award went to Science Hill High School.