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One of the most beloved traditions on the Forty Acres, the Longhorn Band has been a pillar of campus life and Texas spirit for over 100 years. Today, The Longhorn Band is a year-round program offered as a course by the Butler School of Music. Registration in this course is open to any student of the various academic disciplines provided at The University of Texas at Austin. Students who participate find more than an extracurricular experience, they become a part of a family. Rooted in tradition and fueled by Texas spirit, students and alumni alike attest that the Longhorn Band is one of the most special and unique experiences on UT's campus.
Your support of the Longhorn Band ensures that this special experience is accessible to all students, no matter their financial need. Scholarships can help students financially who would otherwise need to spend their time working a part-time job. Your contributions also ensure that the Longhorn Band is able to maintain its prestige as the Showband of the Southwest by providing funding for necessary expenses like uniforms, instruments, and travel.
By supporting the Longhorn Band, you are giving back to a lasting legacy on the Forty Acres campus. Thank you your generosity to the Longhorn Band family and Hook 'em!
Originally introduced in 1970 by then director, Vincent R. DiNino, the “Wabash Cannonball” has become a famous Texas tradition. “Wabash Cannonball” was then legendary Longhorn football coach Darrell K. Royal’s favorite tune. Mr. DiNino thought it would be a great way to salute the three-time national championship winning coach, and it has remained a crowd favorite ever since, played between the third and fourth quarter of every football game.
Our second fight song is “March Of The Longhorns”. It is played during the formation of the pre-game block ‘T’, Script Texas, and other charted shows. If listened to closely, people can hear “The Eyes of Texas” mixed in this song.
“The Eyes of Texas” is frequently followed by another traditional song: “Texas Fight”, known to LHB as “Taps”. “Taps” is the official fight song of The University of Texas and was written by Colonel Walter S. Hunnicutt in collaboration with James E. King, then director of the Marlin High School Band. The words of the song as finally adopted, were written by “Blondie” Pharr, director of the Longhorn Band from 1917 to 1937. “Taps” is played following touchdowns and extra points at Texas football games as well as on thousands of other occasions.
In 1902, UT student Lewis Johnson played tuba for the Varsity Band, directed the University Chorus, and was the manager for just about every the musical performance on the campus. He was also a man on a quest. While college students in Massachusetts sang “Fair Harvard” and Princeton had its “Old Nassau,” UT students had no song to call their own. In the early 1900s, the most popular tunes heard on the Forty Acres were “Love Nobody but You, Babe,” and “The Hamburg Show,” but these weren’t truly Texan. While he wasn’t a composer himself, Johnson was determined to create a song for the University of Texas.
