The Heartbeat of Game Day: 100 Years of the Marching Thunder
A Moment in Marshall History
On a fall Saturday in Huntington, the sights and sounds of game day are everywhere. Fans in green file into the stands as players warm up on the field. Then, as the clock counts down to kickoff - a familiar sound.
The steady beat of the drumline's cadence. The heartbeat of game day atmosphere at the Joan. When the Marching Thunder takes the field, energy rises. For fans, it's part of the tradition - the soundtrack of tailgates, touchdowns and memories made with family and friends.
"The marching band has become synonymous with game day atmosphere," said Dr. Christopher Schletter, director of athletic bands at Marshall. "We are the positivity, the encouragement, the sound, spirit and energy of an athletic game. But we are not that without the amazing students that come from all walks of life."
Starting with a small ensemble of 20 in 1902, the band has grown in size, scope and spirit. What began as a modest part-time collection of musicians under G.B. Able eventually became a permanent ensemble in 1925 under John O. Muldoon. Directors came and went - Harry E. Mueller from 1928 until 1946, then Earl Workman, Thomas O'Connell and others - each leaving their imprint. Through war, social change and cultural shifts, the band adapted. One notable change came in 1951, when women were first invited to join the band on the field.
Along the way, traditions took root. In 1935, music student Ralph A. Williams wrote "Sons of Marshall," the fight song that became a rallying cry for generations of fans. Today, it is inseparable from the Marching Thunder's performances, often belted out just as loudly by fans in the stands.
The band's name has shifted over time, too. In the late 1970s, during a halftime show against Ohio University, the group earned the nickname "Big Green Marching Machine" for its size and powerful sound. In 1993, the name briefly changed to the "Marching Hundred" to honor the number of members that year, but an announcer mistakenly called them the "Marching Thunder." The misstep stuck - and today, the Marching Thunder is still how the world knows Marshall's band. Schletter says that while the name may be long-running and well-known, the look of the band has not remained the same over the years.
"While Marshall does not have a single long-standing uniform, that doesn't mean it lacks identity. In reviewing the last four generations of Marshall's uniforms with an eye toward preservation, I noticed that each reflected where the state of collegiate and competitive marching bands was at the time. Further, across the past five decades, the band's uniform has consistently been on the cutting edge of uniform design and development in the marching arts area."
Today under Schletter's direction, the band is not only larger - it's more diverse in background. About 75% of members are not music majors.
"They do this because they love it, it's fun, and they feel a sense of purpose, ownership and connection with the university," he said. "Before, during, and after the game, we get to demonstrate our school spirit and pride. During halftime, we get to show off our musical and performance skills for an entertaining performance for the crowd. We play so many roles throughout the fall, it's hard to imagine a college without a marching band."
Those walks of life converge every fall for every home game, parade and performance. The halftime show offers artistry and flair and the chance to perform for the crowd - sometimes even for television audiences or in venues far away. In 2020, the Marching Thunder traveled overseas to march in the London New Year's Day Parade, performing favorites like "Mountain Music" and "Country Roads" for a worldwide audience.
But, game days at Joan C. Edwards Stadium remain the heart - the roar of the crowd as the band finishes the pregame, fans in the stands turning to each other, nodding, singing along, feeling a shared beat. It's hard work - hours spent practicing coordination and precision - but also time filled with laughter and the start of lifelong friendships.
Joan (Hart) Justice played flute and piccolo from 1958 to 1962 and remembers the thrill of being part of something larger than herself.
"I loved the band," she said. "The best thing about marching band was simply my love of being part of a group that performed rousing music and attracted crowds to watch, listen and appreciate."
For her and many others, that group never really faded. "Yes, it is still my band!" she says, decades later, when she returns to listen and see the newer generations carry the torch.
Kathy Lewis-Payne, flag corps captain from 1978 through 1982, speaks of the routines, the travel and the pride: "The best part was being the captain of the flag corps and traveling with the band. I really enjoyed the corps performing dance numbers and making up the routines to fit the music."
That creativity between music and movement, between those working together, defines what a band is beyond sound.
Now, as the Marching Thunder celebrates 100 years, it's more than 180 members strong. Growth has brought new challenges - retention, logistics, funding - but also new opportunities: collaborating closely with athletics, reaching more fans, and overall raising performance standards.
There is something timeless in when the first note strikes - the way fans feel in the stadium, the way hearts beat in unison and the way Marshall pride becomes palpable. From the freshman hearing "Sons of Marshall" for the first time to an alumnus returning home to campus, it's a Marshall moment we all share.
1902 - First part-time Marshall band organized with about 20 members, directed by G. B. Able
1925 - Band becomes a permanent ensemble under John O. Muldoon, the first full-time director
1948 - Women admitted to the concert band
1951 - Women join the marching band, ending the all-male tradition
1960s and 70s - Band grows in visibility alongside Marshall athletics, adding more performances and appearances
1977 - Nicknamed the "Big Green Marching Machine" during a halftime show against Ohio University
1993 - Briefly renamed the "Marching Hundred," but an announcer mistakenly calls them the "Marching Thunder." The name sticks
2000s - Performances expand nationally and internationally, including parades and bowl games
2020 - Leads the London New Year's Day Parade, broadcast to millions worldwide
2022 - Band membership grows to around 110 students
2023 - Membership jumps to around 150 (about 34% growth)
2024 - Band grows again to around 180 members (another 22% increase)
2025 - Membership holds steady around 180, with students representing nearly every academic discipline at Marshall