The Woodrow Wilson High School band, led by Chris Evetts (above), is now an award-winning family of musicians (Photo courtesy of John Scherger).
The success of Woodrow Wilson High School band isn’t a secret anymore, and various media outlets are spreading the good news. Last year, we wrote about the heroic turnaround of the band program led by director Chris Evetts, a core of parental support and hundreds of dedicated musicians.
Evetts was an assistant director at Highland Park High School seven years ago when he looked across the field at the opposing band from Woodrow, with around 20 musicians, and decided that he would make it his mission to rebuild the program. Now Woodrow is one of the top bands in the region.
Newly named Metro columnist at the Dallas Morning News, Pulitzer Prize finalist and East Dallas neighbor Sharon Grigsby gave our story some love last year and is kicking off this fall with a column devoted to the Woodrow band program, who have already started practicing for this fall’s marching season. She highlights the success and sacrifice of Evetts and his 130 band members right here in East Dallas.
Even George Dunham of The Ticket gave Woodrow a shoutout this morning, and if you were up and listening before 6 a.m. you would have heard The Musers discuss this powerful story while lamenting the length of high school halftime shows. When it is archived, you can find the segment or listen to the whole show here.
Woodrow hasn’t played Highland Park in football in several years, but the two tradition-rich schools will be in the same district this season. They will play on Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Highland Park High School, and Evetts will have a chance to face his former employer-who may not recognize the Woodrow band.
