SHO-ME Marching Band ends ‘weird’ season on a high note

When asked to describe the 2020 marching band season, Poplar Bluff High School band director, Stephen Winters smiled wryly and said, “It’s been weird.”

Due to quarantine measures, Winters noted his normally 140-person SHO-ME Band was “running at 25%” capacity for most of the season.

The SHO-ME Marching Band typically travels to at least a half dozen competitions in the state, performs at every home football game and plays for other school events throughout the season.

SHO-ME Band saxophones and low brass warm up prior to last Saturday’s competition at the Bi State Marching Invitational in Potosi. Photo courtesy/Debbie Winters

Not this year. COVID-19 restrictions forced the cancellation of all but one of those competitions.

Last Saturday morning, band members, booster and parents loaded three school buses and three Penske trucks headed for the 18th annual Bi State Marching Invitational at the Potosi High School in Potosi, Missouri.

Performing their “Beatles” inspired field show, the SHO-ME Band competed with numerous bands from the St. Louis area and Southeast Missouri while in Potosi. The band earned third-place honors in their division and were ranked sixth overall in the competition.

Winters’ and the band’s focus now shifts to the upcoming concert and jazz band seasons.

He is confident the SHO-ME Band will “finish out the year strong.”