The Pride of the South The Pride of the South is the name of the marching band at The University of Mississippi in Oxford , Mississippi . The full band plays at all Ole Miss home football games , and a smaller pep band is sent to most away games . The full band also travels to Ole Miss bowl games and Starkville , Mississippi when Mississippi State University hosts the Egg Bowl . The University of Mississippi Band has been giving outstanding performances in concert and in support of Ole Miss athletic events since it was organized in 1928 . In addition to performing at all home football games and many away games , the marching band has attended numerous bowl games including the Sugar Bowl , the Gator Bowl , the Liberty Bowl , the Independence Bowl , the Peach Bowl , the Cotton Bowl , and more recently the Motor City Bowl in 1997 , the Music City Bowl in 2000 , the Independence Bowl in 1998 , 1999 and 2002 , and the Cotton Bowl in 2004 , 2009 and 2010 . In addition to the Marching Band there are several " Pep bands " formed out of " The Pride of the South " . These Pep bands perform for numerous functions such as pep rallies before each home game . Another extension of the Ole Miss Band is the Ole Miss Basketball band . The basketball band supports both the Rebel and Lady Rebel Basketball teams at all home games after football season , as well as traveling to the SEC and NCAA tournaments annually . The Ole Miss Band is composed of students from diverse courses of study such as Pre - Med , Criminal Justice , Engineering , Political Science , Journalism and countless others . The Pride of the South offers competitive scholarships for students of every major in the University , contingent upon funding . Directors . David Willson . David Willson is in his twentieth year as Director of Bands at the University of Mississippi . Under his leadership the band has developed into a truly outstanding university band and has doubled in membership . A Jackson , MS native who attended Provine High School and the University of Mississippi , Willson has directed bands in Mississippi at Independence , Columbus and Clinton . His bands have consistently won awards at the state and national level . Willson was awarded the A . S . B . D . A . Outstanding Young Band Director Award in 1985 and in 1990 the Mississippi Bandmasters Outstanding Band Director of the Year . Willson worked on the Mississippi Lions All - State Band Staff five times including serving as head director in 1995 when the All - State Band won the international parade in Seoul , Korea . He has served as president of the Mississippi Bandmasters , Mississippi Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Mu , the state chair of C . B . D . N . A . , and served four years on the N . F . I . M . A . national board . He is now currently serving as the International President of Phi Beta Mu . Willson is active nationally as a conductor , adjudicator and speaker . Willson conducts the UM Wind Ensemble and instructs music education and various courses within the music department . His “ Band Calisthenics ” and “ Starting Beginning Bands ” books are used extensively throughout the Mid - South . Willson was the 2005 - 2006 recipient of the Frist award for outstanding service to students and is the 2006 - 2007 recipient of the Elsie M . Hood Outstanding Teacher Award for the University of Mississippi . Bill DeJournett . Dr . Bill DeJournett is in his eighth year as the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Mississippi . Recently named the eleventh director of the " Pride of the South " marching band beginning in the fall of 2010 , he also conducts the " Rebel Rebound Sound " basketball band , conducts the UM Symphonic band , and teaches courses within the music department . Prior to coming to Ole Miss , DeJournett was Director of Athletic Bands at Colorado State University and at Elon University in North Carolina . Dr . DeJournett has also taught in the public schools of Alabama and Georgia . He possesses degrees from the David L . Walters Department of Music at Jacksonville State University , Northern Illinois University , and the University of Mississippi . Dr . DeJournett is the author of " Brass Secrets " , and his articles have appeared in the Instrumentalist , Fanfare , the NFIMA Journal and the NACWPI Journal . He has presented his research at professional conferences throughout the Southeast and in Seattle , Washington . His professional associations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia , Kappa Kappa Psi , Omicron Delta Kappa , the Mississippi Bandmaster Association , Music Educators National Conference , the College Music Society and the College Band Directors ' National Association , and has served as state chair for the National Band Association . Dr . DeJournett has conducted honor bands and adjudicated concert festivals in Mississippi , Colorado , Texas , North Carolina , West Virginia and Saskatchewan . He has earned a reputation as a respected marching band adjudicator having judged numerous contests in Georgia , North Carolina , Colorado , Mississippi and Arkansas and is currently sanctioned by the USSBA . DeJournett is a former member of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps and a former member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps of Rockford / Loves Park , Illinois , and has instructed various drum corps at the Open Class and World Class levels . Randy Dale . Randy Dale is in his second year as the Assistant Director of Bands at Ole Miss . Dale earned a Bachelor ’ s degree in music education from The University of Mississippi in 2001 . He served with the Ole Miss Band as a graduate assistant for one year before becoming the Director of Bands at the Southern Baptist Educational Center in Southaven , Mississippi in 2002 . Dale continued studying through the University of Mississippi to earn his Masters degree in Music Education in 2005 . Dale holds memberships in The Music Educators ’ National Conference ( MENC ) , The Percussive Arts Society ( PAS ) , and The Texas Music Educators ’ Association ( TMEA ) . In eight years as the Director of Bands at SBEC ( Southern Baptist Education Center ) located in Southaven , MS , Dale was able to produce outstanding results that were unprecedented for the program . Under his direction the band tripled in size and won numerous awards and superior ratings at marching contests throughout Mississippi and Tennessee . Dale has produced students that have made the Mississippi Lions All - State Band and who have participated in World Class drum and bugle corps . Dale serves as an adjudicator for marching band competitions and indoor percussion competitions throughout Mississippi and Tennessee .