The Million Dollar Band Association, Million Dollar Band alumni and friends created the Friends of the Million Dollar Band over a two-year period. The new organization will hold its first meeting in April.
“The Million Dollar Band Association was an independent association,” said Rebecca Florence, director of college relations and associate director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences. “It just became obvious that if it were a University of Alabama association, we could use university resources to support it, like accounting and financial business, promotion and organizational assistance. The University and the alumni can be more supportive of the band with this organizational structure.”
The Friends of the Million Dollar Band will assist in the recruitment process, fundraising efforts and in coordinating, marketing and implementing the annual Alumni Band weekend. The organization will advocate for the band and provide advice to the dean on matters relating to the band.
“We have about 25 members who have joined so far just by word of mouth,” Florence said. “A letter going out to all Million Dollar Band alumni and friends went out yesterday to 4,000 former band members inviting them to join the organization.”
Florence said alumni support was a driving force in the creation of the group.
“The alumni love the band and they have been extremely supportive of the band,” she said. “It’s a great tradition and the new organization, we anticipate, will build on that tradition and give the alumni more opportunities to keep the band fabulous.”
Dr. Kenneth Ozzello, director of bands and professor of music at the University, said he was appreciative of the planners and creators of Friends of the Million Band. He said he believes the concentration of the group in one place will strengthen both the group itself and its efforts.
“Our support group in the past, the Million Dollar Band Association, was wonderful and did fantastic work, but of course the administration of it was spread because the membership was spread out all over the country and it was challenging,” he said. “Having it under one roof, with people in public relations and printing materials and that sort of thing, is great. I think it will raise support from alumni.”
Membership is open to anyone who pays the membership fee of $100. For more information, visit friendsofmdb.ua.edu.
