Randy Martin remembered by band students, colleagues

Randy Martin was instrumental in the lives of his band students and fellow band directors.

The retired band director, who dedicated his career to teaching Barnwell County students band, died March 26 at the age of 74. He led the Carolina Cavaliers at Blackville-Hilda High School (BHHS) for 25 years before spending the rest of his career at his alma mater, Barnwell High School (BHS), working with the Scarlet Knights Marching Band.

“He put Blackville-Hilda Public Schools on the state map with his award-winning Carolina Cavaliers band. Randy loved each one of his students and treated them like they were his own children. He taught them the value of hard work and a job well done as members of the band. He taught with discipline and respect. Randy was a kind-hearted gentleman. He always had his band members' best interest in every endeavor. I will always have a special place in my heart for Randy Martin; one of the best,” said retired Blackville-Hilda Superintendent Dr. Andy Sandifer, who worked with Martin for 20-plus years.

BHHS teacher Lisa Calhoun Nelson is one of Martin’s countless former students. She remembers the long, tiring band camps every August before the new school year, but knew she wanted to do her best.

“He taught us discipline and to never be late. When he said something, he meant it. He was the nicest and most patient man to all his band students,” said Nelson, who played clarinet.

Despite the hard work, Nelson said band was an enjoyable experience, including the parades and spring concerts. Winning marching band contests would lead to an overnight trip in the spring as a reward, usually to Myrtle Beach and once to Disney World.

Though Martin had many students throughout three decades of band classes, Nelson said she was always amazed at how he remembered everyone’s name, including hers. He also taught her two daughters, Jalisa Nelson Jones and Jalia Nelson, and remembered them as well.

“I heard the band stories firsthand from my mom about how band was so memorable because of you. I’m so lucky that I got to experience your leadership firsthand, too! Band has literally helped mold me and my life in almost every way. Because of you it was such a positive part of my school years!” said Jalisa Nelson Jones, who played flute.

Her sister, Jalia Nelson, also remembers Martin as one of many positive influences from her childhood and school days.

“I always ask myself 'how did I survive being in the heat as much as we were back during band camp and practice, but it was the fun and easy-going environment that Mr. Martin established with us in those early days. It made all the hard work and heat worth it,” said Jalia Nelson, who played flute like her sister.

Pamela Davenport, a 1988 graduate of BHHS, said Martin may never have known the true impact he had as he developed and inspired the next generation of leaders.

“Although it was a very large task leading and teaching students, he never stopped dedicating his time and life to the school and to us,” said Davenport. “He was a man that didn’t have to command respect, it was given because he was loved by many.”

She said the Class of 1988 will cherish the time spent with Martin, including practicing to be champions on the hot band field, blasting instruments on cold Friday nights at the football game, and long bus rides for weekend band competitions.

“Those memories shall continue to be shared with our children, family, friends and to the world because we were mighty champions because he invested in us,” said Davenport, who sends love to Martin’s family.

His students weren’t the only people Martin impacted. He also helped mold a new generation of band directors.

“Randy was funny, talented, and kind. He was truly one of the nicest people I've ever known, and I will be forever thankful for the three years I spent with him. He understood what it meant to mentor young teachers long before we knew how important mentors actually are,” said Christie Hodge, band director at Ware Shoals School District 51.

In 1999, Hodge was a second-year teacher who was preparing to take over the band program at BHHS. Martin was moving to Barnwell High to finish out his last years before retirement.

“He chose to leave Blackville because his retirement pay was going to be based off his last three years of teaching, and the Barnwell district paid considerably more. He didn't want to leave Blackville, though, and the decision was very difficult for him. He had won two state championships there,” said Hodge.

She remembers the day he handed her the keys to the BHHS band room. They had a moment where they realized just how difficult his decision was to leave Blackville, a place he’d invested 25 years.

“Now that I am an older, veteran teacher, I know how difficult that had to be for him. I've been teaching at my school in Ware Shoals for 17 years and part of my decision about when I will retire will definitely center around who I can trust to take over the program. I realize now how much hard work he put in for so many years, and for him to turn that program over to a green as grass second-year teacher must have been both scary and difficult. I have always appreciated the faith he had in me that day,” said Hodge.

Being new to Blackville, Hodge called upon Martin for advice. She remembers asking him to come back and hear the students play as they prepared for State Concert Festival. However, he turned her down.

“He said it was best if he stayed away from the program the first year while I was finding my way so that the kids would not wish for him to come back. As a young teacher, it never occurred to me that the old director should give the new director a wide berth, but he knew it,” said Hodge. “Randy had taught them so well the year before me that it wasn't difficult to get them to sound good for the state assessment.”

The band earned a Superior Rating and at the end of the year was awarded the first Outstanding Performance Award (OPA), the highest honor a band can receive in South Carolina. To earn an OPA, a band must accumulate points throughout the year during marching season, Region and All-State, Concert Festival, and Solo and Ensemble. That year was the first of three consecutive OPA Awards the BHHS band earned.

At that time, the group of Barnwell County band directors included Hodge at BHHS, Martin at BHS, Renee Owens at Williston-Elko High, and David Hastings at Guinyard-Butler Middle School. Later, Chris Mixson joined Hodge at BHHS as a music teacher but also worked with the band. Always sitting in the back row at band director’s meetings where they would make each other laugh, they nicknamed themselves “BABRBCBDA” (Bad A** Back Row Barnwell County Band Directors Association).

“The group was thick as thieves. We were all young teachers, except for Randy, and he said that we kept him young with all of our craziness. We called him ‘Old Man’ because he was older than us because we were in our early twenties, and he was nearly old enough to retire,” Hodge said.

Owens also recalls how Martin was a mentor and friend to her when she began her first job as a director.

“He talked me through many processes and eased my nerves many, many times. He was inspiring to watch as a director, because he could reach students of all kinds and draw them in and keep them in band. He had a knack for reaching those students who weren't as successful in other areas of school and he helped them find their place, become successful, and have a reason for staying in school. He worked tirelessly to give his students every possible music experience he could,” said Owens.

Those opportunities included taking some of his Barnwell students who wanted to grow their skills along with Owens and some of her Williston students to private lessons at USC Columbia each week.

As members of the BABRBCBDA went their separate ways in the early 2000s, they remained friends. Martin continued to guide and support his colleagues.

“For many years since his final retirement, he was a source of information, encouragement, and even just an ear to listen when I needed one. He would come and work with the band a few times before a concert or CPA and every student left those sessions a better musician for the knowledge he shared,” said Owens.

A few years ago, Martin went to Batesburg-Leesville High for the 1A Marching Band State Championships to watch Hodge’s Ware Shoals band perform. Hodge had no idea he was there until he called her name as her band left the field.

“I'll never forget what he said to me. ‘Your band was great. I came here just to see what you've done up there.’ It was so great to see him just out of the blue and to have him validate the work I'd been doing. He first saw me teach when I was young and inexperienced. I never expected he would take the initiative to come see me when I was older, but that was the kind of person he was. He wasn't just a part of your life for the time period that you worked together or for the time when you saw each other often. He became your friend for life,” Hodge said.

Martin was laid to rest March 28. His Carolina Cavaliers Marching Band members and the S.C. Band Director’s Association were honorary pallbearers.

“The world lost a great man before all of us were ready to let him go, but I know he is happily reunited with his parents and brother and is no longer dealing with the health issues that plagued him for so many years,” said Owens.

In memory of Martin, members of the BHHS Class of 1988 have a final salute: “When you say Band Ten Hut, the Class of 1988 proudly shout out to you a mighty Hut!” said Davenport.

When she took over the program, Hodge said it was important to Martin to have the band remain strong. Hodge did exactly that during her time in Blackville; however, the band diminished and eventually disbanded in recent years.

“Randy was brokenhearted to hear the band program was discontinued several years ago, but I think both of us knew that the community was getting smaller, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find a director who could stay there and continue the program,” said Hodge.

However, they were both excited to hear that BHHS has hired a director to restart the band program for the upcoming school year.

His legacy marches on in the lives of those he touched, as well as the new generation of band students.