Former Alcorn Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite Band Director Samuel Griffin passes
The man behind what we know today as the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite has passed. Samuel Griffin aka Griff passed away Friday Aug. 4, 2017 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Griffin is credited with forming Alcorn State’s Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite, Golden Girls dance line and the Purple Flashers Flag Corp.
Under the direction of Samuel Griffin, the band began to venture into a world that could only be dreamed of. Upon his arrival in 1969, the band only had 35-40 members. With the transition of a new style of marching known as “show-style,” many bands throughout the south began to make their mark with the use of unique techniques unfamiliar to non-HBCU marching bands.
In 1975 “The Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite” became the first band to perform in the New Orleans Superdome. The Band has performed before crowds at Soldier Field in Chicago, the Los Angeles Coliseum, Texas Stadium in Dallas, and many more high-profile venues throughout Georgia, Indiana, New York and Washington, D.C. The band participated in the inaugural parade of President Jimmy Carter in 1977 and many inaugural parades for governors of the state of Mississippi.
President Alfred Rankins Jr. took time to reflect on the outstanding legacy that Griffin left behind.
“Alcorn lost one of its most beloved figures,” said Rankins. Griffin was the epitome of Alcorn excellence. He loved this University, and he dedicated his time to instilling key values of hard work into generations of Alcornites. Our condolences go out to the Griffin family and all of those who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
Current Alcorn Director of Bands Dr. Renardo Murray remembers Griffin as a strong man who groomed his students to be great performers and even greater people.
Griffin was an Alcorn State University icon,” said Murray. “He touched the lives of so many young people. He not only taught us how to be musicians, but he also taught us how to be strong men and women.”
