Dobyns-Bennett High School Bands

05/23/2026

Let’s hear it one more time for our Class of 2026!

🎥:Sullivan Perry

05/20/2026

We ❤ this place because this colorful "chapter" of the DB band brings the music to life!

The first Dobyns-Bennett flag swingers helped define the band’s emerging visual identity. While the musicians carried the sound, the flag swingers carried color, movement, and precision.

Read more in our recent blog post:
https://thisiskingsport.com/from-flag-swingers-to-world-champions-dobyns-bennetts-color-guard-tradition/

05/19/2026

Introducing the 2026 Leadership Team!

Our first leadership team meeting will take place directly after school on Thursday at 11:45am in the Band Room!

05/18/2026

Dobyns-Bennett High School and the Dobyns-Bennett Band are proud to announce the appointment of Tom Padgett as Associate Director of Bands.

Padgett returns to Kingsport after previously serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Dobyns-Bennett from 2013–2016. His return comes during a historic time for the program as the Dobyns-Bennett Band celebrates its 100th anniversary and prepares for its upcoming appearance in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

With more than 15 years of experience in music education across Tennessee and South Carolina, Padgett has established a reputation for building high-achieving programs rooted in musical excellence, student leadership, consistency, and strong community culture. Most recently, he served as Associate Director of Bands at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, South Carolina, where he helped lead one of the Southeast’s premier competitive band programs with success in Bands of America, SCBDA state marching and concert performance assessments, and CWEA and WGI events. His Symphonic and Concert Bands have received Superior with Distinction ratings performing advanced musical literature at the highest levels.

In addition to his teaching experience, Padgett has served in leadership positions with the South Carolina Band Directors Association, Carolina Winter Ensemble Association, and Carolina Indoor Performance Association. He is an active member of Phi Beta Mu, the National Band Directors Association, SCBDA and NAfME. His professional philosophy centers on developing students not only as musicians, but as confident leaders and individuals of character.

“Returning to Dobyns-Bennett is incredibly meaningful to me both personally and professionally,” Padgett said. “This program has a rich tradition of excellence and pride, and I am honored to rejoin a community that feels like home. I look forward to working alongside the outstanding students, staff, families, and alumni as we continue building on the incredible legacy of the Dobyns-Bennett Band.”

Padgett will join the Dobyns-Bennett Band staff ahead of the 2026–2027 school year.

05/17/2026

05/16/2026

Meet the 2026 Drum Majors!

Congratulations to Kerrington Slagle, Zoe Young, Sofia Boyarskikh, Aaron Halliburton!!

05/12/2026

We are trying to find new homes for a few items used in past productions!

If interested in purchasing any of these props or uniforms please reach out to Lafe Cook at [email protected].

05/11/2026

This request goes out to D-B Band alumni and current parents. The Macy’s parade communications people want stories that they can share with national media outlets.

What I’m after is cross generational stories that only D-B will have because we’ve been to the Macy’s Parade so many times in the past!

Please share stories from your Macy’s Parade experience!

And we are especially interested in alumni who marched in a previous parade and will have kids/relatives who will march in the 100th Macy’s Parade in November!

And if you’ve got pictures from a previous Macy’s parade, please share those in the comments too!

05/06/2026

ALUMNI! SAVE THE DATE!

We hope you will join us in September to celebrate 100 years of the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band! Up first on Friday September 11th we will have an Alumni Band at our home football game followed by a Centennial Gala on Saturday September 12th!

(You don’t have to still play to be on the field for the game!)

Stay informed with all things DB Band 100 by clicking the link below to our newsletter https://www.dbband.org/100

05/05/2026

Join us Thursday at the Eastman Toy F. Reid Employee Center for our final concert of the school year!