Central High Band in the news again
Robert Coker
From the Daily Memphian today.
Calkins: The Central High band was banned from a game. So they fought back — with kazoos!
By Geoff Calkins, Daily MemphianUpdated: September 22, 2025 9:33 PM CT | Published: September 22, 2025 5:26 PM CT
Ollie Liddell is the band director at Central High School. (Greg Campbell/Special to The Daily Memphian file)
Daily Memphian
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. He is host of "The Geoff Calkins Show" from 9-11 a.m. M-F on 92.9 FM. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
Just when we thought the Central High School band couldn’t make us any prouder as a community, we have the kazoo rebellion. A small — but important — story for our times.
It began before Friday’s football game between Central High and Brighton High School. Played at Brighton. The Central High band was ready to take its award-winning show on the road.
“But then we were told we could not play,” said Ollie Liddell, the director at Central.
Why?
“Because we were too loud,” he said.
To be clear: That’s the reason that was given to Liddell. In the interest of fairness, I called Brian Crowson, the principal at Brighton. He did not return the call.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond released a statement Monday about the incident.
“While Brighton High’s administration expressed concern about sportsmanship, it is important to note there is no TSSAA rule restricting bands from playing during live action,” the statement said.
Said Liddell: “In more than 20 years of teaching, I never heard of anything like this. We were told our band would not be allowed to perform and that if they came with instruments, they would not be admitted to the game.”
So what to do?
“We thought about not going,” Liddell said. “We went back and forth all week.”
Then Amy Epps, the Central High principal, came up with the genius solution: kazoos.
The school would buy kazoos for the band. The entire band.
“We have 200 members,” Liddell said.
That’s 200 kazoos!
“The principal bought them,” Liddell said.
Here’s to Epps for principal of the year!
Thus fortified, the Central Band bought tickets to the game, took their seats in the stands, and then played as well — and as enthusiastically — as kazoos have ever been played.
“They sounded great,” said Jane Hankins, whose son, Jackson, plays the saxophone.
And note: When the Brighton band played Friday, the entire Central High band stood and cheered.
So all’s well that ends well. Especially since Central won the game, 28-21. It was a close game throughout. But karma is sort of spelled like kazoo.
“The kids had a great time,” Liddell said. “It was a great bonding experience. And it was almost like a passive protest of the decision. A creative way to stand up for something that is unjust.”
So maybe we need kazoos across the entire city, given what’s about to happen. Or a similar spirit anyway.
“These kids were handed lemons,” Hankins said. “They made a lemon pie.”
Paul Sisco
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Christina Winter
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OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
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OH