A Tribute to Dr. Jon R. Woods
Director, Ohio State University Band
Submitted by Sherry Lubert
Four decades ago a young man enthralled with instrumental music and the big band sound led a group of Western Pennsylvania high school band members to champion status. The Northern Cambria Twisting Tigers marched their way to first place every year under the direction of this creative leader. He took them to many state and local parades and concerts, they marched at the Indianapolis 500, and they played concerts at the New York World’s Fair. He figured out a way to hook battery-operated lights to their uniforms, enabling them to perform beautiful light shows in the darkened football field in Barnesboro, and he allowed a few of the majorettes (with hair-sprayed hair and all) to twirl fire batons on the field.
I was lucky enough to be one of those fire twirlers and I remember idolizing this very talented leader. We called him Mr. Woods, and he soon earned his doctorate and became known as Dr. Jon R. Woods. When this talented man chose me as a majorette in my freshman year, I was thrilled; when he chose me as head majorette a few years later, I was honored; and when we won the state majorette championship my last year, even though Mr. Woods had gone to another school that year, I felt that we won for him.
After teaching and leading at a high school level for 14 years, Dr. Woods then went on to become a university professor and the director of the famous Ohio State Marching Band and has been the longest standing band director the university has had . His band has won countless competitions and prestigious awards and was in a full-page feature in USA Today. This year Dr. Woods and his band led the Macy’s Day Parade. He and his band have been praised by many people, including legendary coaches Woody Hayes and Jim Tressel, who both referred to the band as “the best damn band in the land,” a nickname that has stuck to this day.
Dr. Woods hails from Spangler, PA (now combined with Barnesboro as Northern Cambria, PA). He has done our little corner of the world proud; that is for sure. He is an author, has led concert bands, marching bands, and jazz ensembles, and he travels around the country adjudicating band battles between schools.
As wonderful and exciting as Dr. Woods’ life sounds, he is not without tragedy. He and his wife Donna had three children, the oldest of whom was murdered in New York a little over a year ago. This terrible tragedy was chronicled on a CBS 48 Hours program on television, and it is a very sad thing to have happened to that nice family.
Dr. Woods has been an inspiration to thousands of students, and I present this tribute as a thank you to him for giving us an appreciation for music, creativity, and teamwork. Thank you, Dr. Woods, for your hard work and for encouraging young people to aspire to greater heights. We are proud of you and we wish you well.