Friday night marked a historic moment at Cody High School in Detroit as the marching band returned to the football field for the first time since 2005.
Thanks to new grant funding and band director Damian Lyles, the program has been rebuilt from scratch. Lyles, a lifelong Detroiter, wanted to restore the city’s rich marching band tradition. “I want to see that glory come back to Detroit,” he said.
The challenge was real—most band members had never touched an instrument before this year. Lyles recruited students through pizza parties and trips to see college bands perform. One trombone player summed up the journey: “It spoke to me, I didn’t speak to it.”
During halftime of the homecoming game, nerves mixed with pride as the students took the field. “It makes me feel like I’m a part of something much bigger than myself,” one member said.
Next up: the band hopes to perform at an MLK Day parade. For Cody High, this is just the beginning of a new legacy.
