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2 Your Town Southern: The Human Jukebox
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BATON ROUGE - What is it about the Southern University Human Jukebox, and why do so many others want to be like them?
"Every band that you see looks like a carbon copy," said Band Director Dr. Kedrick Taylor.
Each member of the 325-piece ensemble is in step and perfectly timed. They come with big sound and a growing resume with more requests to perform. These days, the human Jukebox is well known and respected. Many give credit to one man for laying the band's foundation and shaping it into what it is today.
The legendary Dr. Isaac Greggs, a Southern University graduate, took the helm in 1969, transforming the band into one of the most sought-after bands in the land.
"He knew your steps, he knew your pacing, he knew when you were just this much off," said former Band Director Lawrence Jackson.
The Human Jukebox got its name for its ability to play the current top 40 hits. Nowadays, the band's scope is much larger.
"Now you see more people looking like Southern, and more people doing what we do, and it's exciting to me because you know where they got it from. Like Dr. Greggs would say, 'Because we created it,'" said Taylor.
Later joining Greggs as associate director at Southern, Jackson was appointed band director on January 1, 2006. Jackson spent over 30 years directing bands in Clinton, growing the music program there.
"I had fun; they actually paid me to have fun," said Jackson.
He built on Greggs' foundation. The 1970s were a hot time for the Human Jukebox. In 1975, the band performed for the first time in the Superdome in New Orleans against rival Grambling State University in the Bayou Classic. There have been Super Bowls, bowl games, and presidential inaugural performances.
Jackson recalls receiving a call from Madonna, who requested to perform with the Dancing Dolls during the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. During football games, the band electrifies the crowd.
"They not coming to the game for a prayer meeting; they coming to be entertained!" said Jackson.
In the 1960s, the band comprised 130 members and gained fame and success. That success continues to grow under Taylor's leadership. Each year, there are hundreds of students who audition for a spot from around the country. In the 2025-2026 school year, the band accepted 165 students - the largest freshman band class ever. Taylor's philosophy is simple.
"I always tell kids now, what you put in is what you get out," said Taylor.
That's what he did. While attending school at Southern, Taylor recalls practicing trumpet for hours each day, focusing on his journey.
"I used to practice three hours a day, when everyone was asleep, I used to go into the music building to practice," he said.
Taylor became a section leader early on. His career took off soon after graduation, building up music programs from the bottom. At Baker High School, Taylor recalls starting the program with six students and building it to over 100 students.
The work he put in speaks, like the music. As Taylor says, music is a lot more than just notes.
"Music is the art of feeling; it's what you feel, what makes it so unique," he said.
That's what's happening with the Human Jukebox and why Taylor loves what he does. It's also why students are eager to be learning under his leadership.
"It's the goosebumps for me," said sophomore Kevin Wilkins.
Wilkins is from Texas and plays the tuba. He remembers that first time being on the football field, his freshman year at Southern University. All eyes were on the band, and the crowd was roaring.
"They tell you, you know, to be militant, so I can't smile, and I'm just excited, you know, we're marching in screaming ay-oh as the whole band does," said Wilkins.
Adrenaline got him through.
"I'm performing in front of thousands of people, and they're all chanting and singing along," said Wilkins.
Like many others, Wilkins had been positively influenced by the legacy of Southern University. His band director in high school was once a member of the Human Jukebox. Wilkins, who is studying computer science, says his love for music won't stop after he graduates.
"We work hard in this band, but it'll prepare you for life," said Taylor.
The results speak for themselves. Whether it's performing in a music video with Lizzo, at the Super Bowl, or marching in a parade, the Human Jukebox provides exposure that many musicians dream of.
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