Enterprise band student selected to perform in All-American D-Day Band

ENTERPRISE, Miss. (WTOK) - An Enterprise band student will soon be heading overseas in commemoration of military members who fought during D-Day.

Bo Goodin is a senior at Enterprise High School and holds the title of drum captain in the ‘Pride of Enterprise Marching Band.’ But Goodin said joining band at a young age was actually an accident.

“In 5th grade, I was talking to one of my friends and it was two lines, a PE, and a band line. I was supposed to go to the PE line and he was supposed to go to the band line. I was talking to him forgot where I was and ended up in the band line. We were halfway to the high school when I realized I made a mistake. And well I stuck with it and it’s been a really big part of the past 7, 8 years of my life and it’s done some great things for me,” said Goodin.

Goodin said being a part of the has brought him friends that will last a lifetime. He shares the experience of performing next to his bandmates on the L.J. Davis Field.

“Every time I tap off a cadence or play a solo in the show everybody kind of looks I me so I like it. But it’s a great thing to put on a show for people here who are looking for something to enjoy. You know if a football game maybe is not going too well, we’re getting beat a little bit then we provide an opportunity for maybe the little bit disappointed fans to take a little joy away from the event,” said Goodin.

So why play the snare drum?

“It was the coolest thing I thought they had at auditions so I picked that one. But in reality, it’s cathartic for me. If I’m stressed or anything like that about anything going on in my life, I can just get behind a drum and play and it just kind of takes it all away a little bit,” said Goodin.

Now he’s taking his talents overseas to Normandy and Paris. He was selected to be a part of the All-American D-Day Band after being nominated by his former director and sending in a taped audition.

“I didn’t think I was going to make it in because I figured out later on there were hundreds of people auditioning from around the country so I was like what makes me special? You know this little guy in Mississippi trying to audition for such a huge band. So I was made aware a couple of months later that I made it in and I was like what. But it was great and it’s given me something to look forward to,” said Goodin.

125 high school musicians from across the nation will perform in Washington D.C. before going to Europe where they will perform the ceremonial music for the officially recognized commemoration and wreath-laying ceremonies and lead the D-Day Memorial Parade.

“It’s really important to me because being able to honor and show respect to people who sacrificed so much for us. It just makes me feel like I have a purpose. I come from a military family. Both of my parents were in the military and I’ve recently joined the military and it goes pretty far back so it feels great. But I’m also excited because I love to travel and I’ve never been to Europe so I’m excited,” said Goodin.

Goodin will perform in the D-Day ceremonies and events in June.

After Goodin graduates he plans to major in nursing at East Central Community College where he receive a full-tuition scholarship and will be a member of the ECCC “Wall of Sound” drumline.

But Goodin will also begin basic training for the Air Force later this year.

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