Bob Jones Band Director Doyle Thornton at a Bob Jones football game (Record Photo/ Lindsay Vaught)

MADISON- One of the most enduring sights at high school football games in Madison will be missing this season. Bob Jones Band Director Doyle Thornton announced his retirement last week after 26 hears heading the band.

“I still enjoy it. It’s not a chore or work to me, but the time was right,” Thornton, 65, said on the last day of school. “I am going to miss the kids. These are great kids here in Madison. They come from good families. The parents here really support the band program. There were lots of great people over the years that I have got to know. This is a great place to teach.”

Thornton often walked the sideline in front of the band watching the football games.

“I love the football here. The games were so much fun. The teams always played hard and there were some great coaches.”

In his early years at Bob Jones he taught band, drama, and chorus.

“I came to Bob Jones in 1989 and there were 17 kids in the band. We just went out there and played, didn’t have uniforms.”

At its peak before the school split, Bob Jones marched 260 at football games and still marches about 220.

Thornton has led the band on the field for pre-game ceremonies and directed the national anthem in every home game since becoming director.

A big football fan, Thornton never missed a game. One year he led the band to two games while suffering pneumonia. Another year he led the band to a game at Hoover suffering an intestinal infection.

He was hired by former principal Billy Broadway in 1989 when Bob Jones was a county school with limited resources. He was part of the growth and saw to it the band always had good looking uniforms. The band got new uniforms two years ago.

Thornton

One legacy Thornton will leave is the competition band established two years ago for the most advanced band players to compete and prepare them for the demands in college band programs.

“We have kids playing in marching bands at Florida State, Auburn, Alabama, UNA, three at Mississippi State and Ole Miss.”

Thornton said that all the band members were special to him and he thanked them for their hard work through the years. Many of the most outstanding members he selected to be drum majors.

“They have all been really good drum majors,” Thornton said. “They have to have a lot of leadership skills, self discipline, good people skills and musical skills.”

Highlights through the years for Thornton was winning the Outback Bowl band competition, Field Show USA in Washington DC, and marching in numerous parades.

Thornton said that he and his wife will stay in the area for a few years. They have kids and grand kids in Dallas and may end up moving out there.

Thornton was familiar with Madison before he came here from Valdosta, Georgia. His brother lived here along with other relatives. He will now have more time to pursue his hobby, flying RC airplanes.