All About the

Cocke County High School

Red Regiment Band

The Cocke County High School Band has been an integral part of the educational program at  Cocke County High School for many years. Fifty-seven years young, the band can boast as being one of the oldest programs in East Tennessee. V.C. Adcock was the first band director after the retirement of then choral and orchestra director, Katheryne W. Bauman, who had founded the music department in the 1920's.

Many Cocke County High School alumni have gone on to careers in music education and the performing arts based on the foundation they built in the Cocke County band program.

The Cocke County Marching Band is currently known as the Red Regiment and performs in parades and marching band competitions, from which it has carried away numerous awards for its performances over the years. The band is also proud of the many individual accomplishments of its members. Due to an outstanding feeder program in the elementary schools, the musicianship of the high school band has improved drastically. This has led to students being accepted to All-State East Senior Band Clinic, All-State East Senior Jazz Clinic, and All-State Band and Jazz Band. At this point in its history, the Red Regiment competes as an (double) AA high school band which includes wind and percussion instruments as well as the addition of the Color Guard.

In the spring, the Cocke County High School Symphonic Band consistently competes in grade V (5) at the East Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association and Tennessee Secondary Schools Band Directors Association concert band competitions.

Small chamber ensembles which are drawn from the band also perform.

We are proud to have this fine performing ensemble as part of the life of our county, and are grateful for the opportunities it provides both to listeners and performers.

From 1992 through 1998 the Cocke County High School Band was led by Mr. Stephen Parris, who left in the summer of 1998 to take a new position in North Carolina. From 1998 through 2003 the Cocke County High School Band was led by Mr. Jack W. Cox, who left in the spring of 2003 to further his education at the University of Kentucky.  Since 2003 the band program has been under the direction of Mr. Forrest "Pat" Mason, assisted by Mr. Michael Short and  Mr. Brandon Tilley.