In 1964 the Southern University Band, better known as “The Marching Counts of Sound” proved its superiority in many half-time performances during that school year. The Southern Belle Ballet Corps had begun its second season with the band. The lovely lasses coordinated dances to the arrangements played by the band. The 130-member band gained fame and success and won a place among the best bands of the land. Davis taught the majority of African-American band directors in Louisiana. Davis retired from Southern in May 1987 and was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus in May 1989 in recognition of forty years of service to Southern. On October 25, 1992 Davis passed away at the age of 76. The Southern University Marching Band, after the retirement of Leroy Davis hired Ludwig Freeman as its new director and James Alvin Cato as the assistant director in 1965 to 1969. The Southern University Band proved itself to be the best in the land during its “superior” performances through-out the year. Freeman, proved his capable leadership by making the band live up to the quotation “Not as good as, but better than.” During the course of the season the “Marching 132” was given the opportunity to show its skills against numerous other bands. Perfection comes from long hours of practice and rugged drills, along with determination to do a good job with every performance according to Freeman. This has helped the marching performers of Southern University to be crowned, “The King of Band.” In 1966 the Southern University renowned “Marching 150” Band reached the peak of perfection. With 60 new freshmen, 90 upperclassmen, and two new assistant directors, Paul Irvins Adams and Alvin Batiste the band came to a point not easily distinguished from that of total perfection. The highlight of the 1966 year was the appearance of Lionel Hampton, renowned jazz band leader, who with the accompaniment of the band performed four of his greatest tunes.

In 1972 thirty-one members of the Southern University band performed at the highly lauded Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The band was originally scheduled for a two-week performance at Radio City Hall but was asked to stay on for an additional three weeks. The band gave 140 performances in New York in company with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and symphony orchestra. The band was on stage four times a day, seven days a week for five weeks. Also they performed in the musical “Black Tie” directed by Peter Gennaro. In addition to the band’s stage performances, three street performances were given. The band played at the dedication of a police athletic league youth center in Harlem, opened for the Newport Jazz Festival in Harlem and gave a salute to New York City on July 4th at the Americas Plaza of the Time-Life Building in Rockefeller Center. The band has also performed on foreign soil (Mexico and Costa Rica), most recently for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL, proves beyond comparison that the Human Jukebox is “often imitated but never duplicated.” Included in the six Super Bowls was the 2003 season performance on the MTV for the “Rock N Jock” Super Bowl Party.

Southern University’s “Marching Band from Jaguar Land!” Simply mention their names and fans are highly captivated, flocking to catch a hopeful glimpse of one of the most electrifying performances in the world. The man who was credited with starting the Southern University Marching Band was T. Leroy Davis. His assistants were Milton Cooper, Assistant Band Director and Arranger and James A. Cato, Assistant Band Director and Choreographer. Davis served as the band director from 1947 to 1964. He organized the Southern University Band Festival and Band Day. He was nationally known for his achievements in the areas of bands as a scholar, adjudicator, clinician, arranger and conductor. In 1957 the band was just a group of students that he developed into an impressive band. The band was very proper and sedate. They marched traditional, which was the style at that time. He also had a very fine concert band which performed each semester along with the marching band.

The Southern University marching band, a 170 piece ensemble of greatness-unique in impact, precise in execution and enormous repetitious success can only be described with words such as astounding and majestic. This unit, better known as the Human Jukebox, is under the direction of the esteemed Dr. Isaac Greggs, who became director of the band in 1969 is the guiding force for a compilation of strong, dedicated and talented young group of musicians, and the scientist behind which a superlative legacy was created. The name; Human Jukebox was applied to the band because they could play the current “top 40’s.” Its symbols, the Columbia blue and gold uniforms with a cape, the gold and white caps, the white gloves, the white spats and the 360 steps per minute cadence work together to produce energy charged atmosphere that attracts admiration from its many fans. A 1948 Southern University graduate, and director of the band Dr. Isaac Greggs, moves crowds with a well-planned mixture of old school and soul and a current hip-hop flavor. Greggs, as director, under sheer genius, has laid a foundation which has made Southern University’s marching machine one of the most sought after bands in the world. Greggs is an accomplished trumpet player and has traveled the world conducting performances in Japan, England, Russia, Mexico, France, and Italy and throughout South America. He has shared billings with such notables as Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Lionel Hampton, Al Hirt, Doc Serverenson and Glen Campbell. Joining Greggs on this world famous staff are associate director, Lawrence Jackson; and assistant director, Carnell Knighten.

In 1975 the band performed for the first time in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans against arch rival Grambling State University in the annual Bayou Classic. Six Super Bowls, four Sugar Bowls, presidential inaugural performances in 1981, 1983 and 1997, The Rose Bowl Parade and The Special Olympics. On June 18, 2003 Dr. Greggs was acknowledged on a grand scale as being the First living person to have a state building named in his honor. The music building on Southern’s campus was formerly known as The Dubose Music Hall, has now been renamed the Isaac Gregg’s Band Hall. At the 32nd annual Bayou Classic game between Southern University and Grambling State was the last for Dr. Isaac Greggs. Greggs, 36 years as director of the Southern University Marching Band came to an end when he retired on December 31, 2005. Lawrence Jackson, associate director, has been appointed to take the band's helm effective January 1, 2006. During his career, Jackson managed to accumulate over 30 years of experience in directing bands, serving as a director at Clinton High School, Clinton Middle School and Clinton Elementary School, then as an arranger and associate director of Southern's band. Voted USA Today’s number one marching band in the United States of America and Sports View Magazine’s best collegiate marching band, Southern University’s Marching Band, whether performing on the field or off the field, makes a unique impact on its listeners.