[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 56 (Wednesday, May 10, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         REMEMBERING KENT SILLS

                                 ______
                                 

                   HON. CHARLES W. ``CHIP'' PICKERING

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 10, 2006

  Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, all of Mississippi recently lost a 
musical legacy who impacted thousands of high school and college 
students over a 40-year career in education. Dr. Kent Sills--``Doc''--
passed away on May 3 in Starkville, Mississippi. His obituary in the 
Starkville Daily News recounts his achievements:

       Dr. Sills began his teaching career as band director at 
     Lumberton High School in 1956 before accepting a similar 
     position at Clarksdale High School in 1961. He joined the 
     faculty at Mississippi State University in 1967 as assistant 
     director of bands and in 1983 was appointed as only the sixth 
     director in the band's 100-year storied history. He served as 
     director of bands and professor of music education at 
     Mississippi State until his retirement in 1999.
       While at Mississippi State, he founded the MSU Stage Band 
     (1967), established the MSU Jazz Band Festival, the MSU 
     Junior High Band Festival, and directed the ``Famous Maroon 
     Band'' at MSU football and basketball games.
       Dr. Sills also served as the manager and director of the 
     Mississippi Lions All-State High School Band from 1983 until 
     1997. Under his leadership the Lions Band won seven 
     international championships and never finished lower than 
     second place in any competition, performing in Asia, 
     Australia and across North America.
       A graduate of Kosciusko High School, Dr. Sills held a 
     bachelor of music education degree (1956) and master of 
     education degree (1959) from the University of Southern 
     Mississippi. He also held a master of music degree (1967) and 
     doctor of arts degree (1977) from the University of 
     Mississippi.
       In 1996, he was awarded as ``Outstanding Contributor to 
     Bands to the State of Mississippi'' by Phi Beta Mu, and in 
     2000 was selected for the Mississippi Bandmasters Hall of 
     Fame.
       From 1954 through 1960, Dr. Sills traveled throughout the 
     country performing with his popular swing band ``Kent Sills 
     and His Southernaires.'' He also was a veteran of the U.S. 
     Army and performed with the U.S. Army Reserve Band. 
     Throughout his career, he served as an adjudicator and 
     conductor at numerous band festivals and clinics.

  The Daily News' editor Brian Hawkins shared some of his personal 
experiences with Doc.

       If you ask any band alumnus to share memories of Doc, the 
     floodgates open. There are just THAT many stories to share, 
     and so many of them leave us in stitches every time.
       In fact, one year in the early 1990s, a T-shirt with a top 
     10 list of ``Doc-isms'' was developed by some individual 
     members and was sold to many in the band. Here are just a 
     few:
       ``It's not ya-ya time''--This meant that we needed to quit 
     messing around and get down to business in rehearsal.
       ``You know, somebody somewhere loves that child''--This was 
     heard frequently when Doc had to correct someone individually 
     in rehearsal. It often broke any tension that may have arisen 
     from the mistake.
       ``Don't be dumb, cause when you're dumb, you're showing me, 
     the band and the whole world that you just don't care''--In 
     other words, get your head in the game and pay attention to 
     what you're doing.
       ``You play when we all play''--This was meant to discourage 
     any showboating or individual playing when the full band or a 
     designated section was not playing.
       There are countless ``Doc-isms,'' some a bit more colorful 
     than others.
       One thing was certain, though, Doc had a wicked sense of 
     humor. Not a rehearsal went by where the entire band didn't 
     have at least one good laugh.
       But that was Doc. He loved life, he loved music and he 
     loved his students.

  Hawkins continued:

       I know without a doubt that God has a special place for him 
     in heaven and that he's already there as I write this.
       Even now, I can imagine the majestic music of the hosts on 
     high filling the expanse anew under the baton of heaven's 
     newest bandleader. And what glorious music it is.

  Mr. Speaker, so many prayers are with Kent's family: his wife, Nora; 
his son Allen; and his grandchildren Hannah and Tyler. Their family is 
a pillar of the Starkville community where Nora is the organist at 
their church. Dr. Kent Sills is a music icon in Mississippi, at 
Mississippi State University, and in Starkville. I hope Congress joins 
me today in saluting and remembering this amazing and talented life and 
person.

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