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Joe T. Haney

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joe T. Haney
Nickname(s)"The Colonel"
Born(1927-08-19)August 19, 1927
Colorado City, Texas, United States
DiedMarch 10, 2016(2016-03-10) (aged 88)
Service/branch United States Army
Texas Texas State Guard
Years of service1945–1989
RankColonel
RelationsMary Logan (wife, married in 1953)

Joe Tom Haney (August 19, 1927 – March 10, 2016) was a United States Army colonel was director of bands at Texas A&M University and the 12th director of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.

Early life and education

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Joe Tom Haney was born in Colorado City, Texas, on August 19, 1927, to Clyde, an employee with the El Paso Natural Gas Company and Vista Mae Haney, a piano teacher. His father died in an explosion in 1929, after which he and his mother moved to Marlin. He began playing trombone from the sixth grade. After graduation from Marlin High School in 1944, he enrolled in Texas A&M University, where was there for only one semester before being drafted.

Military and high school bandmaster career

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He served fourteen months in Korea and played in the 282nd AGF Band in Seoul before receiving an honorable discharge in 1947 and enrolling in Southern Methodist University, where he graduated in 1950. For his first position as a band director at Hemphill High School. In 1951, he became bandmaster of the Mexia High School Band

Aggie band

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In 1972 he was invited to become the associate director of the Texas Aggie Band. Haney organized the Texas A&M University Symphonic Band in 1973.[1]

The Haney Drill Field (seen here) ceased to be used by the Aggie Band as of November 2018.

Noble Men of Kyle and other arrangements

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He wrote the signature march of the band "Noble Men of Kyle" in 1972, and it is played numerous times during marchpasts.

His arrangement of "The Spirit of Aggieland" has been performed by the Aggie Band at all football games since 1968.[2]

Retirement, death and legacy

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He retired in 1989 and was succeeded by Air force Lieutenant Colonel Ray E. Toler. Both Joe Haney and Ray Toler were natives of Marlin, Texas. Until Colonel Haney’s death he held the title of Director Emeritus of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band. Colonel Haney passed away in March 2016.[3][4][5] The following September, he was honored in memoriam by the band with the playing of The Noble Men of Kyle at the first football game of the season with UCLA.

Haney Drill Field is named in his honor,[6] with the name change taking place in 1992 at the request of a senior cadet.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Phi Beta Mu - Alpha Chapter". Pbmalpha.org. August 19, 1927. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  2. ^ KBTX Staff (March 10, 2016). "Former A&M, Mexia band director Joe Tom Haney dies at 88". www.kwtx.com.
  3. ^ By Tom Steele2:52 PM on Mar 10, 2016 CST (March 10, 2016). "Col. Joe T. Haney, longtime director of Texas A&M's Aggie Band, dies at 88". Dallasnews.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Ex-A&M band director Joe Haney dies at 88". Chron. Associated Press. March 11, 2016.
  5. ^ Staff, Eagle (March 10, 2016). "Former Aggie Band Director Col. Joe T. Haney dies at 88". The Eagle.
  6. ^ "Inscription beside Haney Drill Field". www.aggieband.com.
  7. ^ Clark, Caitlin (December 14, 2020). "Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Memorabilia Discovered". Texas A&M Today.