Band of the Hour

The Frost Band of the Hour is the marching band at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The band plays at all home football games and one away game. It also travels to post-season football bowl games in years that the football team plays at one. The university also has separate concert bands and pep bands for other sports. The Band of the Hour received its name at a halftime show at the Orange Bowl in 1948. The band was playing Henry Fillmore’s “The Man of The Hour” march. The announcer spoke over the public address system, “‘The Man of the Hour,’ played by the ‘Band of the Hour’!” This has been the unofficial name ever since.

In 1933, by Walter E. Shaeffer, a solo clarinetist and concertmaster with the United States Marine Band under John Phillip Sousa, founded the band. During the 1950s, Henry Fillmore, famed composer of band music, became a major patron of the band and was responsible for the construction of the band’s permanent home, Henry Fillmore Band Hall.

Fred McCall was Director of Bands from 1948 until his retirement in June 1971, when he became Director Emeritus. William B. Russell was Director of Bands from 1972 to 1991. Michael Mann, served as Director of the Band of the Hour and Associate Director of Bands from 1991-2000. In 1993, the current Director of Bands, Gary D. Green took office. Michael B. Dressman was Director of the Band of the Hour from 2000 to 2004. C. David Ragsdale was appointed interim director for the 2004-2005 school year. Phillip Clements was Associate Director of Bands and Director of the Band of the Hour until the summer of 2008, when Thomas Keck became Director of the Band of the Hour and Associate Director of Bands. Charles Damon is the Assistant Director of Programs. Under Keck's administration, the band began to focus on the music it played in the stands. Emphasis was placed on popular music, as many home-grown members had come from high schools which followed the marching traditions of historically black colleges. In an attempt to play to South Florida's significant Hispanic culture, the band also began playing more Latin music both in the stands and during field shows.

Keck set a goal of increasing the band's size to 200, and the band has increased. In September 2009, band membership had reached 179, due in part to including members of the Florida International University band, which was dissolved due to budget cuts. The band also includes students from Miami Dade College and other schools. In 2009, Mario Cruz set a record of playing with the band for 10 years.

Since 1993, the Band of the Hour Association is an alumni group that supports the band. The association maintains a hall of fame for the band. Alumni also play or march with the band during homecoming football games.