The band needed a name and so Barfield renamed the band to the 50th Regiment, from a story she had gotten from the library about a Civil War unit that was from the area named the 50th Regiment. They got new uniforms for the band that matched the Casper Troopers drum and bugle corps, which had cowboy uniforms in black and gold. It was a black jacket, gold scarf around the neck, black cowboy hat with gold crossed sabers, and either gray or black pants. They went with gray for the 50th Regiment pants, which began the tradition of the band using black, gold, and gray as their colors. The band played cowboy / western music in their shows during this period. The last cowboy /
western show was in the fall of’ 82 and included the“ Theme from Blazing Saddles,”“ Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” and“ Ghost Riders in the Sky.”
Within three years the band was competing and winning everywhere they went. Though the marching band was successful, the concert part of the band lagged a bit. It took much longer for them to be successful.
They won Grand Champion at the Southern Open Competition in Valdosta that fall. Wayne Grandy of The Moultrie Observer wrote an article about the win. In the spring they went to New Orleans and competed in the Greatest Band in Dixie street parade contest and won first place.
In my opinion, the best part of our band is the relationships that it builds. Some of my best friends are people who I marched with in high school and other band adults such as directors and parents who I’ ve met along the way.” ~ Jennifer Terry, former band member, whose two sons have participated in the 50th Regiment
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