TSU marching band wins first Grammy: 'We made history'

Dave Paulson, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
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It was only right that the house band played "Oh Happy Day" as the TSU marching band won its first-ever Grammy Award on Sunday. And on top of the joy, it was a historic occasion for Tennessee State University.

"The Urban Hymnal" won the award for Best Roots Gospel Album at Sunday's pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles. With it, TSU's "Aristocrat of Bands" becomes the first marching band to win in the category.

"Hymnal" was co-produced by songwriter/producer Dallas Austin, artist/songwriter/producer Sir the Baptist and TSU professor Larry Jenkins.

The TSU marching band makes its way down Jefferson Street during the 2021 TSU Homecoming Parade Saturday, October 30, 2021.
The TSU marching band makes its way down Jefferson Street during the 2021 TSU Homecoming Parade Saturday, October 30, 2021.

From the podium, Sir the Baptist heaped praise on the young members of the band, calling them "so deserving."

"These kids worked so hard," he said. "And to be honest with you guys, HBCUs are so grossly underfunded, to where I had to put my last dime in order to get us across the line. My cousin got us across the line, even when I gave all. We're here with our pockets empty, but our hands aren't!"

Jenkins also thanked his students in his speech: "Your hard work and dedication created the pen that allowed you to write your own page in the history books," he said.

"We all know we made history, but this is also February. We also made Black history."

The full "Aristocrat of Bands" wasn't able to accept their win in person, but TSU held an official watch party on campus Sunday afternoon. Video shared on social media shows dozens of students leaping to their feet as the winner is called, quickly breaking into a chant of "AOB! AOB!"

Backstage, Sir the Baptist elaborated on financing the project: "I started working with TSU and we only had, I think it was $25,000 to pull this off. Then I had to go in and empty my savings to finish this."

"This win was so important to us, because not only — yeah, this time it's TSU. Next time, it needs to be all HBCUs, right?"

TSU's big win follows another historic moment for a Nashville HBCU at the Grammys. In 2021, The Fisk Jubilee Singers' "Celebrating Fisk!" album won Best Roots Gospel Album — the historic group's first-ever Grammy win came as it was celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The TSU marching band was also part of J. Ivy's "The Poet Who Sat By the Door," which won Best Spoken Word Poetry Album on Sunday, in the category's inaugural year.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSU marching band wins first Grammy: 'We made history'