Dr. Oliver McGee: 1980

"I was once asked, 'what is it like to follow a tough act like Dwight Hudson?'" recalls Oliver McGee.” As you might suspect, Dwight left a big pair of shoes to fill, and one could not help being compared to him even though I am a head taller and a lot thinner. Dwight left his mark on the expectations of future drum majors and the public as well."

According to McGee when creating their first routine, every drum major thinks about the contrast in styles of past drum majors, as well as their comparative efforts. Each drum major endeavors to make a contribution to the band, and maybe even leave a move uniquely his or hers that will become tradition. Each drum major's uniqueness is frequently the result of two or three years in the drum major squad, watching, learning, and practicing; shooting for the top spot. Not enough can be said for the motivation, drive, endurance, and perseverance required to capture the job of the one up front.

For those like McGee, the position of drum major was a year-round job. "Off season there is a tendency to slip in performance level, but keeping your form is done with regular workouts and performances, both indoors and out, in frigid weather, driving rain, and sweltering heat," McGee said. Following his own advice, Oliver was determined to be the best. Much of his spare time went to extra rehearsals. After practicing long hours in the French Field House, he would go through Ramp Entrances in the stadium.

"I recall my first tryout in 1976," McGee said. "When I hit the Ramp Entrance someone described my performance as being like a chicken. I thought I had my act together, but it came off as anything but graceful. To look at all graceful took hundreds of hours of concentrated effort, but I had good teachers, and there was always someone there to build my confidence, give good advice, and enter words of encouragement."

As is well known, no one at this time in TBDBITL received a full scholarship, so each student is left to his own efforts for the financing of a college degree. Drum majors are no different. Ingenuity and a strong back in the work place are the ingredients that helped McGee make it through school.

"My field is engineering and that was my reason for coming to OSU in the first place," explained McGee. "After my bachelors, I was awarded a scholarship to complete my master's at Arizona State University. I returned to Ohio State to pursue a doctorate and have since become an assistant professor at OSU. I am proud to have graduated from the first supported high school west of the Alleghenies, Woodward High School in Cincinnati. I got my start there and came to Ohio State to put it all together."

Even as an educator, Oliver would like to make his mark on the band in a different way: "Maybe I can encourage and assist some students to achieve that single honor of being the 'man up front' of The Best Damn Band in the Land."