Ocean of Soul Band Director Resigns


DasuavestBalla

DasuavestBalla

Well-Known Member
Texas Southern University Provost Dr. James W. Ward has announced that he has accepted the resignation of University Professor Richard Lee, director of the university's "Ocean of Soul" Marching Band. Lee will continue to teach his classes and serve in other capacities at the university.

Provost Ward, in accepting Lee's resignation, states, "I want to thank Professor Lee for 22 years of exceptional service to the band and our students. He has always been and continues to be the consummate professional and gentleman and for that the university is forever grateful."
 

Well I don't know what happened but I'm happy for Gibson.
 
I do find it strange.. the president of txsu was talking about this bigger and better band in the future in a address, and NOW THIS HAPPENS. Hmmmmmm
 
xxx01 said:
I do find it strange.. the president of txsu was talking about this bigger and better band in the future in a address, and NOW THIS HAPPENS. Hmmmmmm
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Yes, a couple of years ago, he bought all kinda new band instruments and three different marching uniforms for the band.
 
DallasCowboyGirl said:
C get yourself over to the private and give us the real!
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The TxSU Band Alums, namely my Frats and Sorors of KKPSI and TBS have been HUGELY disappointed with the direction of the Ocean. Of course most of them from back in the day are fiercely loyal to Ben Butler. Prof Lee is good folks/frat. But it was time for him to go in my opinion as well. That can be a damn good band director job. TxSU will have some serious applicants for it if they open up a search.

I better go check Facebook to see what my TxSU bruhs and sisters are saying. I am sure they are doing the happy dance.
 
JR said:
The TxSU Band Alums, namely my Frats and Sorors of KKPSI and TBS have been HUGELY disappointed with the direction of the Ocean. Of course most of them from back in the day are fiercely loyal to Ben Butler. Prof Lee is good folks/frat. But it was time for him to go in my opinion as well. That can be a damn good band director job. TxSU will have some serious applicants for it if they open up a search.

I better go check Facebook to see what my TxSU bruhs and sisters are saying. I am sure they are doing the happy dance.
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Yes they are.
 
Ronald Thornton turned it down when they brought the band back in 93 as that was the year we went to the rose bowl and he was not going to miss that opportunity

I think he was the most logical fit for tsu and they would've returned to glory easily but lee just happened to be at Howard and an alum so that was a. Good backup option at the time but tsu's field shows left a lot to be desired....stuff with the kids or that girl on the slip and slide back in 2009....

Will the real ocean ever come back....who knows but they have an uphill battle now that PV's band is traveling and growing and southern always had a footprint in Houston
 
the band fan said:
Ronald Thornton turned it down when they brought the band back in 93 as that was the year we went to the rose bowl and he was not going to miss that opportunity

I think he was the most logical fit for tsu and they would've returned to glory easily but lee just happened to be at Howard and an alum so that was a. Good backup option at the time but tsu's field shows left a lot to be desired....stuff with the kids or that girl on the slip and slide back in 2009....

Will the real ocean ever come back....who knows but they have an uphill battle now that PV's band is traveling and growing and southern always had a footprint in Houston
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TBF,
It depends on who they hire. Thornton was the man (RIP). Frat was cooler than fan. SU folks even loved Thornton. Doc Greggs was cool with him due to his closeness with Ben Butler and of course Thornton being an assistant at Forest Brook that sent some of the baddest cats to come through the Juke during my era. I don't think Thornton wanted that headache at the time. He didn't like that administration. I remember him and his wife were sitting in Doc's office with us one time in the 90s before a game. (Heck you might have been in the Jukebox yourself at this time). Some of us frats asked him why he didn't jump on the TxSU job. You should have seen the look his wife gave us and she shook her head like are you serious. Like he wasn't going to go take that job if she had anything to do with it. Rose Bowl or not. (BTW, Houston SU Alumni Chapter donated money for that Willowridge trip you took to Pasadena).

I remember when Lee first got there and you could tell it was not going to be good fit. He added Quads to the drum section and the old school was like WTF?
We ain't Howard. The funny thing is he is an Ocean alum. You would think he wouldn't have tinkered with the Ocean like that.

I dont know if TxSU got any old Ocean cats that are band directors that understand what the Ocean was about to take the job. I do know some other than TxSU alums who do know what the Ocean was like that would be glad to get that job. Should be interesting. I would make a phone call to my SU crab brother Ralph Chapman at PV and gauge his interest. Ralph would build a monster there. Just my biased opinion of course. LOL.
 
I've been a follower of Tex. Southern Band sense the sixties when Dr. Butler first arrive. Bands have changed so much. If the administration doesn't support your program you are doomed. All these band (PVU,JSU, Alcorn St. and & Alabama St) are increasing their Band Scholarships. I was a pretty good Trumpet player when I wen to Southern University with no University aide, but today's musicians are going for the MONEY. And trust me it is affecting all HBCU's who's administrators who haven't change their views on the worth of a good band .
 
JR said:
TBF,
It depends on who they hire. Thornton was the man (RIP). Frat was cooler than fan. SU folks even loved Thornton. Doc Greggs was cool with him due to his closeness with Ben Butler and of course Thornton being an assistant at Forest Brook that sent some of the baddest cats to come through the Juke during my era. I don't think Thornton wanted that headache at the time. He didn't like that administration. I remember him and his wife were sitting in Doc's office with us one time in the 90s before a game. (Heck you might have been in the Jukebox yourself at this time). Some of us frats asked him why he didn't jump on the TxSU job. You should have seen the look his wife gave us and she shook her head like are you serious. Like he wasn't going to go take that job if she had anything to do with it. Rose Bowl or not. (BTW, Houston SU Alumni Chapter donated money for that Willowridge trip you took to Pasadena).

I remember when Lee first got there and you could tell it was not going to be good fit. He added Quads to the drum section and the old school was like WTF?
We ain't Howard. The funny thing is he is an Ocean alum. You would think he wouldn't have tinkered with the Ocean like that.

I dont know if TxSU got any old Ocean cats that are band directors that understand what the Ocean was about to take the job. I do know some other than TxSU alums who do know what the Ocean was like that would be glad to get that job. Should be interesting. I would make a phone call to my SU crab brother Ralph Chapman at PV and gauge his interest. Ralph would build a monster there. Just my biased opinion of course. LOL.
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Ralph would make a good band director. I still don't know why Alabama State decided to let him go. Although he might have been somewhat inexperienced then, it seemed like he was doing a fairly decent job there.
 

He discussed it but the timing wasn't right and it was coming off the Japan incident.....I still remember the night the news came out about Japan and he had to address it the night of the band concert...His son transferred back to TSU and was in Lee's first band but TSU was too small and it took years to build some size...

it was like they refused to look at the 80s videos or what...that what was made TSU..they got far away from it during the field shows......

thanks for the cash.....we paid $375 per person then and that was for airfare, lodging, transportation and park admittance....that was a bargain...
 
the band fan said:
He discussed it but the timing wasn't right and it was coming off the Japan incident.....I still remember the night the news came out about Japan and he had to address it the night of the band concert...His son transferred back to TSU and was in Lee's first band but TSU was too small and it took years to build some size...

it was like they refused to look at the 80s videos or what...that what was made TSU..they got far away from it during the field shows......

thanks for the cash.....we paid $375 per person then and that was for airfare, lodging, transportation and park admittance....that was a bargain...
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Yeah Thornton did the right thing to not take the job after Butler and Japan incident. He had a good thing going at Willowridge. I still remember the night Thornton came to pick up his money from the Houston alumni. I think our alum Clyde Lawson's wife was working at Willowridge at the time. Thornton was out doing Christmas Carols that Friday evening and showed up all dressed up at the Hotel we had our meeting to pick up the check. Most SU folks were big Willowridge supporters anyway. Especially since a lot of you came to the Juke. That was the quickest vote to donate I have ever seen. LOL.

I am sure you cats had fun going to that parade. That 375 was a bargain.
 
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PV and then tsu were the choices he normally backed but in the 90s southern became the favorite for him as they embraced him and his daughter went to school there also....he got doc to do a Camp at willowridge in 1993 and we started using their concepts from that point
 
I was wondering why Texas Southern's band was so small in Shreveport. We were in the suites and I saw them marching in and was like where are the rest of them. Another guy was like "maybe some of the buses got stuck in traffic." We were surprised at the size.
 
Gibson is interim head director. Honestly...I would not be cool with an su alum as a head director over the Ocean. My opinion. With an su alum then nothing from the actual Ocean of Soul created by Ben Butler and the students from his first tenure would ever existed again. Especially since all over youtube, etc you have su alumni claiming the Ocean's style came from su...it didnt. That would be a travesty to Mr. Thornton's legacy as well since he was IN the 1st Ocean. Thank you to Prof Lee for 22 years of educating.
 
The Ocean of Soul was the same size in Shreveport that they have been since last fall. About 112.
 
I think this is the perfect time for all of these 80s era people to actually go speak up!!!! Complaining on these websites wont do anything but I do believe GIP should do a good job! The only thing he really needs to improve on is RECRUITMENT!!!!! He need to bring some well qualified people on board in all areas if he wants to secure that title as Head band Director. Consistency, Support, Aggressiveness, and Retention are just a few of the things he needs to build on!!


PLEASE BRING BACK THE MOTION OF THE OCEAN WE ARE USED TO SEEING!!!! THESE PAST FEW YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE!!! 2011 WAS THE YEAR THEY REALLY STARTED TO BECOME #1 INTEGRATING DIFFERENT STYLES BUT SINCE THEN....THEY HAVE FALLEN OFF!!

He also needs to help put some asses on those seats!!!!

It can be done and he knows Ocean Material so I am on his side, because lets just say we bring someone else on board Ocean Alum or NOT, it isn't guaranteed that he will please our expectations!! I have heard many people around the SWAC say he is damn good and he has a huge following, so HE is good in my book! Some may disagree, but lets be real, there is a chance that we wont get the same Ocean we got in the 80's but as long as they fix the problems they have now and evolve quickly....we are looking at a new era...lol best believe all of those times people have side "if ocean had those numbers, they would be something serious..." well those days are upon us!!! I have high hopes!!!!
 
lilC said:
The Ocean of Soul was the same size in Shreveport that they have been since last fall. About 112.
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Naw bro, they are even smaller! That hazing incident hurt them in 2012 but ultimately they have not been the same since 2011!!!! Had they built off of that year....they would good!!!
 
Last_outlaw said:
I think this is the perfect time for all of these 80s era people to actually go speak up!!!! Complaining on these websites wont do anything but I do believe GIP should do a good job! The only thing he really needs to improve on is RECRUITMENT!!!!! He need to bring some well qualified people on board in all areas if he wants to secure that title as Head band Director. Consistency, Support, Aggressiveness, and Retention are just a few of the things he needs to build on!!


PLEASE BRING BACK THE MOTION OF THE OCEAN WE ARE USED TO SEEING!!!! THESE PAST FEW YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE!!! 2011 WAS THE YEAR THEY REALLY STARTED TO BECOME #1 INTEGRATING DIFFERENT STYLES BUT SINCE THEN....THEY HAVE FALLEN OFF!!

He also needs to help put some asses on those seats!!!!

It can be done and he knows Ocean Material so I am on his side, because lets just say we bring someone else on board Ocean Alum or NOT, it isn't guaranteed that he will please our expectations!! I have heard many people around the SWAC say he is damn good and he has a huge following, so HE is good in my book! Some may disagree, but lets be real, there is a chance that we wont get the same Ocean we got in the 80's but as long as they fix the problems they have now and evolve quickly....we are looking at a new era...lol best believe all of those times people have side "if ocean had those numbers, they would be something serious..." well those days are upon us!!! I have high hopes!!!!
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You constantly over critique the Motion all over the internet. Who are you and when did you march?
 
The Ocean has been right at 112 since 2013...almost consistently. They marched the same 112 in Shreveport. I mentor students in the band. Again...who are you?
 
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