When Alabama A&M kicks off the season in Atlanta during the MEAC-SWAC challenge, it will kick off a new era for the HBCU band.
William J. Young, the new director of the Marching Maroon and White, arrives in Huntsville with championship experience and a clear vision for building a consistent program. While trophies remain part of the goal, Young wants Alabama A&M to establish a standard that extends beyond any single performance or competition.
His approach traces back to the lessons he learned under legendary Southern University band director Dr. Isaac Greggs.
“Dr. Isaac Greggs was my band director, and he gave us the tools to say that the sky’s the limit,” Young told HBCU Gameday. “Whatever we dream to be, we can be. And whatever we want to be, we can do.”
Greggs built Southern’s “Human Jukebox” into one of the most influential marching band programs in the country. His impact also stretched beyond halftime performances. Generations of his students moved into leadership roles at high schools, colleges and universities across the nation.
Young said the competitive culture at Southern helped prepare those directors for opportunities throughout the HBCU band world.
“He trained us well to not only strive to be the best, but to be the best that we want to be outside the classroom, outside the band hall,” Young said. “That’s why that place is so special. That’s why it produced so many band directors.”
Young now carries that foundation into his first season leading Alabama A&M.
Band of the Year is part of a larger vision
Young also brings recent experience from a staff that reached the top of the HBCU band landscape. He worked alongside Dr. Kendrick Taylor during Southern’s 2025 Red Lobster Band of the Year run.
Young credited Taylor’s leadership and the staff’s willingness to work collectively.
“It wasn’t just one person on that team,” Young said. “It was a collective effort, from Dr. Taylor, from his vision, to the assistants implementing that and making sure that every day we went in and accomplished what he wanted us to do.”
Young hopes to install a similar level of organization at Alabama A&M. That means creating daily objectives, paying attention to details and preparing the Marching Maroon and White to deliver every week.
The Red Lobster Band of the Year remains on the list of goals. However, Young does not want one competition to define the program.
“Although Band of the Year is a goal for us, it’s not the ultimate goal,” Young said. “It is one of the things that we wish to accomplish.”
That distinction offers a glimpse into Young’s larger plan. He wants Alabama A&M to become known for sustained excellence rather than one major performance.
Young also showed confidence in building his staff by adding former Southern University director Nathan Haymer. Instead of viewing Haymer’s experience as a threat, Young described it as a resource.
“Mr. Haymer is just an excellent arranger,” Young said. “He’s an excellent person, and he’s also an excellent director. He’s changed the game to what it is today.”
Young compared Haymer to an experienced free agent who could immediately strengthen a roster.
“When you have a person, a free agent out there that’s available, you want to go out there and seek that knowledge,” Young said. “We’re here to all put our heads together.”
Alabama A&M support stands out
Young said the support surrounding the band has made Alabama A&M feel like the right place for his next chapter.
He pointed to the backing of university president Dr. Daniel K. Wims, Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Paul A. Bryant, university administrators and the Board of Trustees.
“We are one family,” Young said. “That’s the great thing that I love about Alabama A&M. We all work together. We are very supportive of each other.”
That support is big as Young attempts to develop students academically and musically while elevating the Marching Maroon and White’s national profile.
“We want the best for our students,” he said. “We want the best academically and the best musically as well.”
For Young, the mission is larger than winning a halftime battle. It is about taking his program-building, championship experience and Alabama A&M’s institutional support to create something sustainable.
The Red Lobster Band of the Year may be one destination. Young’s ultimate goal is to build a program capable of chasing excellence every day.
He is a great husband and father to five amazing children. I’m excited to see all that God has in store as he continues to grow, lead, and make an impact with the University. I can’t wait to see him and his family continue this journey and watch the blessings unfold.