The Texas Aggie Band Show is a 12-week, 30-minute program which provides viewers with an inside look at life in Texas A&M University's Fightin' Texas Aggie Band and includes each week's Aggie Band halftime drill at the Texas A&M football game. The show is underwritten by the Corps of Cadets Association, produced by Barker Productions of Bryan, and made available to PBS stations throughout the United States by Texas A&M's KAMU-TV.
Along with the band's halftime performance, each show also includes feature reports on campus activities and events involving the Corps of Cadets and the Aggie Band, interviews with band members and staff, and other university students and administrators. Highlights of other bands performing at games in which the Aggies also play are included along with highlights of their campus when the Aggie Band is traveling to an away game. On weeks in which the football team does not play, the show runs performances from the archives.
As of the Fall of 2009, the show is in its 15th season on its flagships stations, KAMU-TV and KAMU-Xtra. The show airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, 3:00 p.m. on Sundays and 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday s on KAMU-TV (broadcast Channel 15, cable Channel 4 on Sudden Link cable systems in Bryan-College Station) and at 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday nights on KAMU-Xtra (SuddenLink Channel 18 in B/CS).
The program also can be seen via live stream video on a computer over the internet when the show is airing on KAMU-TV. To view the live stream video, access KAMU's web site at http://kamu.tamu.edu and click on the WATCH NOW link.
Dr. Bruce Bockhorn, Class of '74, a former drum major of the Aggie Band, begins his 5th season with the show and his 7th as writer and host.
This year the show continues to include a special feature each week titled, "RECALL!" This segment highlights a former member of the Aggie Band who has gone on to a successful business, professional, or military career. Interviews of the former member are included along with a look at their work and a even a short "look back" on the Aggie Band during their time at Texas A&M to recall their special memories.
The Aggie Band remains the only collegiate band in the nation with its own regularly scheduled weekly television show that can be viewed statewide and out-of-state. The band, which currently marches over 300 cadets, is nationally known for it half-time drills at the Aggie football games featuring almost constant movement and changing patterns. Their big, bold sound and precision marching gives a performance that is a perfect visual fit for television audiences. A recent survey of PBS stations around the state found that this show had one of the highest viewer recognition ratings and is a strong performer in numerous markets.
Director of Bands Tim Rhea says he's pleased the band will once again be presented to viewers in this format. "The Texas Aggie Band Show is a great recruiting tool for the band," Dr. Rhea says. "It gives high school musicians throughout Texas a chance to see what we do and what life is like as a member of the Aggie Band."
The Texas Aggie Band Show airs not only in Bryan-College Station, but PBS stations across the United States. The show was recognized in 2002 with a Communicator Award as part of a national competition recognizing excellence in visual communication.
For more information contact:
Producer: Bob Barker, Barker Productions, 979-846-1660
Host/Writer: Bruce Bockhorn, Texas A&M, (979) 451-0856, bockhorn7402@hotmail.com
Band Director: Dr. Tim Rhea, Texas A&M, (979) 845-3925, trhea@tamu.edu
TV Station Mgr.: Jon Bennett, KAMU-TV, (979) 845-1526, jon.bennett@kamu.tamu.edu
