Local band directors marching in 2026 Pasadena Rose Parade
ATHENS – Armed with a piccolo and a base trombone, Regina and David Raney of Athens will be among 300 band directors from across North America marching Jan. 1 in the annual Pasadena Rose Parade.
David was band director at Sparkman High School in Harvest until he retired in 2022. Regina is band director at Austin Middle and Junior High schools in Decatur.
The band will accompany a colorful, animated float along the 5½-mile parade route in Southern California.
The Raneys are thrilled by the opportunity, but it is more than that. They hope the experience reminds people that music can be a lifelong endeavor.
“We are both honored to represent our schools, our community and music education on such a prestigious national stage,” Regina said. “We are thrilled about this opportunity and hope it brings positive awareness to music education and the lifelong opportunities that can come from choosing to be part of a band program.
“Our own journeys began many years ago as new band students, and this experience is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of music education.”
The Raneys are participating in the Saluting America’s Band Directors project, which has assembled band directors under the theme “America’s band directors: We teach music. We teach life,” according to a statement from the parade.
“I cannot imagine a world without music,” Regina said.
Music even brought the two of them together for the first time, David said.
“Regina was a drum major the first year I was at UNA (University of North Alabama) and I was a trombone player. I knew her better than she knew me.”
The group will not be doing any special march, Regina said.
“We will just march like we have done all of our lives,” she said. “That is why we can put this all together because we have all been doing this for quite some time.”
They will wear uniforms provided by the parade operatives including dark blue pants and red jackets with a Rose Parade emblem, David said.
They have already received the music, charts and a placement number for where they will appear in the parade, Regina said, noting that they will memorize all of their music rather than rely on sheet music on lyres.
“We will be the 67th unit in the middle,” she said.The marching band music is the only actual live music in the event. The rest is prerecorded and singers lip-synch, she said.
When Regina and David are home, they often enjoy music together.
“David and I play in orchestra in Decatur and we also like jazz music very much,” she said.
She said, “music takes you places” and it doesn’t have to stop in elementary school or college.
David said they now have to heed marching advice that they would normally give their students. Primarily, he said, they had to get in shape physically for the parade.
“It is 5.5 miles long and a quick tempo, so it will get your pulse up,” he said.
Regina said they have to focus on keeping their lines straight because mistakes are visible on TV, especially when they do an overhead shot.
The Raneys drove to California for the parade so they could enjoy some sightseeing along the way. While they are in Pasadena there will also be sightseeing opportunities, such as watching other groups decorate the flower-covered floats. While they are there, they also plan to attend the Rose Bowl, which will be between No. 1 Indiana and No. 9 Alabama.
Last Wednesday, they were practicing their music as well as packing for the trip. They reported in and begin rehearsing on Sunday, she said.
“As you get older, you practice less,” Regina said. “You lose the skills if you don’t keep them up. To achieve success, you have to put the work in.”
According to Regina, “learning to play music is a skill that can be carried throughout a lifetime. Music education has a positive impact on lives and opens the door to countless opportunities. We are honored to promote music education at the highest level through the Rose Parade — especially together.”
The 2026 Rose Parade airs live on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at 10 a.m. across major networks.
