The Sikeston High School band program has impacted the school and community for over seventy years by uniting past and present band students to create a sense of pride throughout the community. The band program at Sikeston High School began in 1934 to support the football and basketball programs, under the direction of Mr. Reid Jann. In 1940, Mr. Keith Collins replaced Jann in the music department and had a tremendous impact on the band program, school, and community in his twenty-nine years of teaching in Sikeston. While Collins was teaching, he was also managing a successful business, Collins Piano Company. The music store has since become an important part of the Sikeston band program’s success due to its continued support of the music program. Since Collins retirement in 1969, the band program has only had a few directors. Mr. Ron Williams left his position as assistant band director and became lead director from 1969-1972. When Williams retired, Mr. Pat Curry became lead director of the high-school band from 1973-1995. Mr. Edward Cowan came to Sikeston in 1972 as an assistant band, became lead director in 1995 and retired in 2004, devoting his entire career to Sikeston Public Schools. Ed Cowan was responsible for adding two additional band directors to the teaching team and creating a more stable program before he retired. The band directors that were hired before Cowan’s retirement are currently working to restore the band program to its Collins days – a time when the band had over two hundred students and several students participating in district and state level activities. Ed Cowan retired in 2003. Today, the bands are under the direction of Darren Steelman, Kim Whitehead, and Carrie Cain. To see more pictures of the past and present band check out the scrapbook page!