List of drum majors, commanders and directors of the Highty-Tighties

This is a list of the leadership of the Highty-Tighties, the Regimental Band of the Corps of Cadets of Virginia Tech.

Information in the following table is extracted from Bugle and personal accounts. The size of the band does not include the Director, faculty and staff that played with the band. The totals also do not include the Bugle Corps when it was a separate organization. LtCol Ellison Adger Smyth, Jr., Professor of biology, played in the band routinely from 1892 until he retired in 1906. Professor Smyth came to VPI in 1891 and was active in establishing the band and orchestra. Major John H. Shultz (Steward of the Dining Hall, class of 1908), Major J. Eoff, and Major Lorenzo M. Hale also played in the band. These faculty and staff are included in photographs of the band. Mr. Charles Owen, was also an 'unofficial' part of the band from 1892 to 1910 and he is included in the Bugle photographs of the band in 1908. A tribute poem after he died appeared in the 1910 Bugle.

Highty-Tighty Leadership

Grad. Year

Drum Major

Commander

Director

Band Size

1892-1893

Sergeant Clifford West Anderson

1st Lt Frank Daniel Wilson

Major James Patton Harvey

121/16

1894

unknown

unknown

Major James Patton Harvey

1895

W. R. Karr

1st Lt John William Sample

Major James Patton Harvey

19

1896

Leslie Helm Lancaster

Captain Osceola Claiborne Thompson

Major James Patton Harvey

25

1897

Brandner

Captain H. H. Hurt

Major James Patton Harvey

23

1898

Arthur Middleton Cannon

unknown

Major James Patton Harvey; Acting Director Cadet Frank Clifton Carper (Class of 1899, also director of the Mandolin Orchestra)

25

1899

W. H. Snook

unknown

Major James Patton Harvey; Acting Director Cadet Frank Clifton Carper (Class of 1899)

23

1900

unknown

Captain J. R. Brown

Major James Patton Harvey; Acting Director for part of the year Cadet Frank C. Carper (Class of 1899)

19

1901

unknown

unknown

Major James Patton Harvey

29

1902

Unknown

Captain Julius Clarence Dantzler

Major James Patton Harvey

12

1903

1st SGT Gantt

Captain Henry Clay Michie

Major James Patton Harvey

30

1904

Private William Wilson Chase

Captain H. H. Hill

Major James Patton Harvey

22

1905

Unknown

Captain J. T. Williams

Major James Patton Harvey

29

1906

Sgt Jacob Wise Old

Unknown

Major Hugh Douglas McTier; Assistant Capt H. H. Hill Class of 1904

24

1907

Captain Jacob Wise Old

Captain E. H. Taylor

Major Hugh Douglas McTier

23

1908

Unknown

Captain Robert Sheffey Poole

Major Hugh Douglas McTier

21

1909

Unknown

Captain Raymond Arthur Calvert

Major Hugh Douglas McTier

22

1910

Unknown

1st SGT Alexander Atkinson Waldrop

Major Hugh Douglas McTier

28

1911

Unknown

Captain Alexander Atkinson Waldrop

Lt Marsden Churchhill Smith, Class of 1911

23

1912

Morris Wooten Loving

Captain Wallace Clark Dixon

Major James Patton Harvey

20

1913

Unknown

Corporals R. C. Brauer and A. D. Hedrick

Major James Patton Harvey

20

1914

C. A. Cutchins

1st Sgt R. C. Brauer

Major James Patton Harvey; Marsden Smith

15

1915

C. A. Cutchins

Captain R. C. Brauer

Major James Patton Harvey; Acting Director Major H. H. Hill

20

1916

C. A. Cutchins

Lt James Leslie Maddux

Peter Ubaldo Janutolo Class of 1913

19

1917

Harry Preston Humphries

Captain Athol Herman Cox

James Soloman Schaeffer

24

1918

Harry Luck Rosenbaum

1st SGT D. R. Taylor

Jim Schaeffer

27

1919

Unknown

Captain Dayton Rice Taylor

Jim Schaeffer

35

1920

1st Lt Lewis Orian Wrenn

Captain James Elisha Old

Jim Schaeffer

36

1921

Unknown

Captain DeWitt Clinton Wo

Jim Schaeffer

33

1922

SGT William Walter LeFevre

Captain John Bryon Herring

Professor William Luther Skaggs

32

1923

Unknown

Captain William McKinley Haller

Professor William Luther Skaggs

40

1924

Unknown

Captain Herman Lemuel Pritchard

Professor William Luther Skaggs

49

1925

Unknown

Captain William Dana Harmon

Professor William Luther Skaggs

50

1926

Captain Robert Barrett Skinner

Professor William Luther Skaggs

85

1927

Unknown

Captain Leslie Avery Shaw

Professor William Luther Skaggs

78

1928

Unknown

Captain Grover Guy Tucker

Mr. G. A. Johnson

66

1929

Unknown

Captain G. P. Shelhorse

Mr. G. A. Johnson

65

1930

Unknown

Captain Howard Eugene Callahan

Mr. G. A. Johnson

65

1931

Unknown

Captain Thomas Allen Phillips

G. A. Johnson

74

1932

Unknown

Captain James Raymond Frost

G. A. Johnson

60

1933

Unknown

Captain Arlie Curtis Huffman

G. A. Johnson

64

1934

Unknown

Captain George Arthur Mohler, Jr.

G. A. Johnson

45

1935

Unknown

Captain Charles Bradley McElroy

G. A. Johnson

56

1936

G. C. Starbuck

Captain Guy Russel Davis

G. A. Johnson

80

1937

Lt

Captain Harry Martin Meyers, Jr

James Soloman Schaeffer

1938

Lt

Captain William Madison LaFon, Jr.

Jim Schaeffer

96

1939

Lt

Captain John Sanford Hill

Jim Schaeffer

115

1940

Lt

Captain Lonnie Hammond

Jim Schaeffer

120

1941

Lt

Captain Thomas Edward Bebout

Jim Schaeffer

119

1942

Lt

Captain Edward Eugene Jones, Jr

Jim Schaeffer

140

1943

Lt

Captain Robert Clifton Hughes

Jim Schaeffer

119

1944

Lt

Captain

Jim Schaeffer

1945

Lt

Captain

Jim Schaeffer

1946

Lt

Captain

Jim Schaeffer

1947

Lt

Captain Joseph Ellis Nixon

Jim Schaeffer

93

1948

Lt

Captain Garland Wright Headley

Jim Schaeffer

101

1949

Lt William Eads Beamer

Captain Leon Edwin Boswell

Jim Schaeffer

111

1950

2nd Lt J. J. Pohl

Captain W. Sterling Carter

Jim Schaeffer

111

1951

Lt

Captain Frank V. Lane

Jim Schaeffer

59

1952

Lt

Captain J. F. Neel

Thomas Dobbyns

1953

Lt

Captain John William Mayhugh

Thomas Dobbyns

1954

Lt Charles Emerson Morgan, Jr.

Captain William Townsend Powell

Thomas Dobbyns

1955

2nd Lt S. E. Bateman

Captain W. R. Jebson

Thomas Dobbyns

93

1956

Lt

Captain

Thomas Dobbyns

1957

Lt

Captain K. N. Ellis

Thomas Dobbyns

1958

Lt

Captain

Thomas Dobbyns

1959

Lt T. O. Williams

Captain

Thomas Dobbyns

1960

Lt

Captain

Thomas Dobbyns

1961

Lt

Captain

Thomas Dobbyns

1962

Lt Willie White

Captain Ralph Jones

Thomas Dobbyns

1963

Lt

Captain

Thomas Dobbyns

1964

Lt Derek James

Captain Curtis J. Thompkins

Thomas Dobbyns

140

1965

Lt Grover Alexander Josey/ Herbert Cox

Captain Dalton Randall Butts/ Grover Alexander Josey

Thomas Dobbyns

120

1966

Lt Robert Cobb

Captain Lane Crafton

Thomas Dobbyns

1967

2nd Lt Hermann E. Frese/ John D. Irvin

Captain Charles Owen Cornelison

Thomas Dobbyns

114

1968

Lt Marion L. Simpson

Captain Karl E. Krumpke

Thomas Dobbyns

1969

Lt Jerome Francis Gough

Captain Steven H. Wickham

Thomas Dobbyns

112

1970

Lt James K. Asselstine

Captain John T. Wells

Thomas Dobbyns

107

1971

Lt Joe Yates

Captain Thomas A. Herbeck

Thomas Dobbyns

1972

Lt Christopher Bise

Captain James P. Welch

Joseph G. Lamoureux

1973

Lt S. L. Spradlin

Captain Martin D. Bush

Joseph G. Lamoureux

86

1974

Lt Gary Herbek

Captain David J. Kirks

Joseph G. Lamoureux, Assistant David Widder

71

1975

Lt Robert Stephenson

Captain Eugene Watson

Joseph G. Lamoureux

1976

Lt John Matthew Eliff, III

Captain Scott Allan Smith

Joseph G. Lamoureux

1977

Lt Craig Cockerham

Captain Paul E. Christensen

Joseph G. Lamoureux

71

1978

Lt Stephen D. McAdams

Captain Michael E. Gathright

Dr. James R. Sochinski

50

1979

Lt

Captain David P. Williams

Dr. James R. Sochinski

1980

Lt Kevin St. Jaques

Major Steven V. Weiler

Mr. Johnny Pherigo

1981

Lt Gary W. Kunsman

Major Toney L. Fender

Mr. Johnny Pherigo

71

1981

Lt Gary W. Kunsman

Major Toney L. Fender

Mr. Wallace Easter

72

1982

Lt Michael O. Kiersewski

Major Gilbert P. Andia

Mr. Wallace Easter

1983

Lt Matthew P. Newman

Major Scott Otey (1st African American Band commander)

Wallace Easter

1984

Lt Tom Fass

Major John M. Fyfe

Mr. Wallace Easter

83

1985

Lt Kenneth P. Rodgers

Major Todd Shenk (Captain Eric Claunch, acting commander winter quarter)

Mr. Wallace Easter

96

1986

Lt Dale McBane

Major Lisa Williams (1st African American, female Band commander)

Mr. Wallace Easter

1987

Lt Ralph T. Bradley (first African American Drum Major)

Major Robert P. Repass, Jr.

Mr. Wallace Easter

1988

Lt Daniel Kelly

Major Brian Hepp

Mr. Wallace Easter

1989

Lt Steven Richardson

Major Robert Lowerre

Mr. Wallace Easter

1990

Lt David Powell

Major Michael Courtade

Mr. Wallace Easter

1991

Lt Greg Gilbreath

Major Nathaniel C. Cluff

Mr. Wallace Easter

1992

Lt Lori L. Keck (First Female Drum Major)

Major James Perkins

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

67

1993

Lt Chris Sipe

Major Douglas Wilson

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

74

1994

Lt Jeff Chown

Major Kristy Branstetter

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

79

1995

Lt James Reed

Major Mark Walker

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

91

1996

Lt Chris Chown

Major Jasper Jeffers

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

106

1997

Lt John Kilareski

Major Gregory Lowe

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

1998

Lt Matthew Cordani

Major Matthew Sutton

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

1999

Lt Chris Hauver

Major Carlton "Bubba" Fox

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

95

2000

Lt Vaughn Dickenson

Major Drew Borovies

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

2001

Lt Jeremy Kerfoot

Major Frank Theising

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

83

2002

Captain Leo Manster

Major Heather Gardner

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

94

2003

Captain H. Christopher Walsh

Majors Jason E. Troutman; Kathryn Jones

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

86

2004

Captain Dan Layman

Majors Phillip Staso; Joseph Adelmann

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

84

2005

Captain Benjamin J. Thomas

Majors Patrick B. Lowther, David Kline

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

96

2006

Captain Sam Doran

Majors Roberto Oteiza, Tyson Griffith

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

116

2007

Captain Stephen F. Schuyler

Majors Darren M. Zega, Timothy J. Bedell

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

117

2008

Captain John B. Cook

Major Mark R. Amos

MAJ George McNeill, Va. Militia

113

1 Number in Bugle Corps, independent of Band Company.