Gary McNutt, a hardworking and devoted band director at Russellville High School, has made the “bittersweet” decision to retire.
McNutt has 27 years of experience, with 24 of those years having been served as Russellville's assistant band director and then band director. In 1987, he actually started working as a consultant for the Russellville Band Program while he was still in college. The first three years of his experience were earned in Georgia.
McNutt insists that his decision to retire was not made in haste.
“My goal as a band director was to teach for 25 years and then take it one year at a time,” McNutt said.
At that point in his career, his goal was to teach until he felt like he had accomplished his goals and vision for the Russellville Band Program. At the right time, he planned to turn the program over to a new director with a fresh perspective and new vision.
The new band director will be Jeremy Willis, a former student of McNutt who has worked under him for more than five years. The torch has officially been passed to someone who believes in excellence like McNutt does.
McNutt does not have any big plans for retirement. He plans to do some consulting, possibly serve as an adjudicator at band competitions and restore some vintage drum sets. In addition, he might harass some telemarketers and mail in the prepaid envelopes that are in their bulk mail solicitation. A retiree’s dream.
Even though he will be busy with those plans, he will not miss a chance to be under those Friday night lights. McNutt enjoys watching the Marching Hundred, the Golden Tiger football team and the cheerleaders.
“I think I will visit Russellville City Schools often," he said. "I will need a couple of Russellville Dogs and a Coke Zero for pre-game on Friday nights."
What McNutt will miss about going to school everyday is observing the students as they achieve success, the FIne Arts staff that has become a second family to him, his other coworkers and the Band Parent Association. He admires and appreciates the band parents' efforts to fundraise and support their children.
“The band parents are a hard working group,” McNutt said.
He has also enjoyed working with the Russellville football coaching staff on Friday night. Over the years he has realized they all had a similar goal on Friday nights, and they traveled together so often, which brought them together as a “Golden TIger family."
McNutt also believes that he has been blessed with very supportive administrators and talented mentors.
To carry on the tradition of excellence after he is gone, McNutt and Willis decided to apply to be in the 2017 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. In March they received their official invitation to march in the Nation’s Premiere on April 8, 2017. The event brings about one million visitors to the nation’s capital, and it will be televised in syndication throughout the country.
“It is an honor to receive the invitation that is only awarded to approximately ten or twelve bands across our nation,” McNutt said.
As the Marching Hundred marches down Constitution Avenue, they will be performing with military groups such as the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own," the United States Marine Band “The President’s Own”, and the United States Army “Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps." In addition, the students will have an incredible educational experience touring the nation’s capital.
Though there are many things McNutt will miss about his time as the Russellville High School Marching Hundred band director, he is proud of what he has accomplished over the years.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the director of the Russellville Marching Hundred," McNutt said "It’s great to be a Golden Tiger!”
