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Warnix named WHS band director
By Peggy Blackburn
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Jason Warnix has a vision of what he hopes to see in the future of Wetumpka High School’s “Pride of the Tribe” band. And after being named as the group’s new director during Monday night’s board of education meeting, he immediately began working and making plans to bring that vision to life.
“I want us (the band) to try to be the 12th man on the field,” said Warnix. “A band can make a difference. It can cause the other team to make mistakes that draw penalties.”
Warnix said band members will be looking at several busy weeks once the Independence Day holiday is behind them. He plans to kick things off with a rookie camp the week following the Fourth of July.
“Then the next week we’ll have the color guard, percussion and majorettes, and full band camp July 21 through 25,” he said. “I’m very excited. I’ve been told that we have approximately 100 signed up.”
Warnix said he is “still shopping for a show.” He added that the musical selections will probably be rock-oriented.
“I think there are a lot of possibilities about how the band can be involved,” he said. “We’ll probably try and put together a pregame show, and we’ll be adding some new cheer songs.”
WHS Principal Richard Dennis said he thinks Warnix will be a good fit for the school’s program.
“I’m excited. He has some great ideas and a lot of youth and vitality,” said Dennis. “Jason and I met with the new drum major and the band boosters president, and I think they’re enthusiastic also.”
Warnix has spent the past seven years as a staff member with the Prattville High School band and has been an assistant for the last four years. He is also a member of the music department staff at the First Methodist Church of Prattville, where he is the assistant music director.
He is a graduate of Arab High School and was the percussion section leader for two years of the 225-member band there. Warnix attended the University of North Alabama, where he was a band member and percussion section leader for three years.
He is married and the father of three small girls.
“When I was Arab High School, it was about the same size that Wetumpka is now,” said Warnix. “We had a large band, and one of my goal is to grow this band.”
