For Sonic Boom of the South Band director Roderick Little every day is Mother's Day

The bass drummer unleashes the booms while the snare drummers drive the rhythm, and the thrum sends the sold-out crowd to its collective feet.

The Sonic Boom of the South, the crowd-rocking, 300-member marching band of Jackson State University under the direction of Dr. Roderick Little, has entered Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Little, 38, knows dreams come true because he is living his. Seventeen years ago, he was a member of the band. Now that band, clad at each appearance in crisp blue uniforms complemented by white gloves and white spats over black shoes, performs under his direction. Every move and step are choreographed, and during every halftime show, there are many.

The Sonic Boom of the South is nationally regarded, and so is Little. Best American Craftsman Musical Instruments, a custom instruments manufacturer in Kansas City, Missouri, named Little the 2022 HBCU Band Director of the Year during the company’s inaugural Greatest of All Times award ceremony in December. Jackson State announced the award in late January.

“I appreciate the award,” Little said. “This award makes me realize that there are eyes on us. That our band is an ambassador for Jackson State University.”

Looking back, as the Sonic Boom gets set for Saturday's homecoming festivities — including the parade at 8 a.m. and halftime show at intermission against Alabama State — it may have been inevitable that Little would lead the band to these heights.

Music became a part of Roderick Little's life at an early age

The band has countless enthusiastic fans, but Little says his mother, Linda Little, is his biggest. She may be proudest that Roderick Little is the first person in his family to graduate from college, but his achievement since would be a close second.

“My mom always believed in me,” he said. “She always motivated me, and she knew that something big was going to come up in my life.

“My mom is always my biggest fan. She watches all of the YouTube videos, and she wants to talk about the band all of the time when we are at family functions and things like that. She’s over the moon and excited about it.”

Little’s love for music has its roots in church. He said he remembers watching the percussionist play drums during church and being intrigued.  Little said when he was a toddler, his mother would pull him away from those drums after church. As much as she wanted to encourage his interest, she did not have money to pay for anything he might damage.

Music runs in the family. His mother sings. His father, Joe Little, was in a band and played saxophone. His brother, Joe Little Jr. played sax. One of his sisters, Sanita Stewart, played violin, clarinet and sang in the choir. Another, Kawana Tucker, also sang in the choir.

“I fell in love with playing music when my sister, Sanita Stewart, had a Casio keyboard,” Little said. “One day, we were at home, and she allowed me to play on it. She showed me some things and that is how I got my start.”

High School played a key role

Little played in the band at Lanier High School in Jackson, and said his days in the band were pivotal moments for him. Little grew as a musician and found out that music was what he wanted to do with his life.

Little said he would rehearse the Lanier band, while the band director, Dr. Fulton Caston, sat in his office listening. Caston allowed Little to provide feedback to the band and write music and direct field shows. Most importantly, he allowed Little to make mistakes.

“He literally allowed me to work with his band at the age of 15 years old," Little said. "He provided an opportunity for me as a practitioner to learn under his tutelage.”

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During his senior year, Little came across a videotape and decided he wanted to be a member of the Sonic Boom of the South.

Dowell Taylor and JSU

Another mentor emerged in 2012 when Dowell Taylor, then the band director for the Sonic Boom of the South, took Little under his wing.

“Mr. Dowell Taylor was instrumental in my overall professional growth,” Little said. “Also my personal growth as well.”

Little said Taylor believed in him when no one else did. He gave Little opportunities when no one else would. Little believes Taylor was knowingly and unknowingly preparing him to take over as band director.

“I always took little nuggets from him (Taylor) on what I needed to do to glean from him to one day assume this role. This job has always been an aspiration of mine. Without him fostering me as a young talent, I would not be here today or not this quick.”

Branding of the band

One of the things Little wanted to do was make the Sonic Boom of the South, more of a brand. Little wants to create more marketing opportunities for the band.

He has reshaped the culture of the program, driving improvement in drills and pageantry in field shows as well as with the sound of the band.

“We want to enrich the lives of these kids, " Little said. “We want them to leave better than when they came here. We want to teach them life lessons and the pillars of success, and that is persistence, time management, accountability and the people they associate themselves with.”

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Roderick Little the Sonic Boom of the South band director thanks his biggest fan, mom