Get Organized!: Tommy Goff (1933-2008)

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Tommy Goff (1933-2008)

Few people leave a mark on their chosen profession the way Tommy Goff left his mark on Alabama high school bands. In a career that scanned over 30 years, Mr. Goff's Auburn High School Bands were among the best not only in Alabama, but stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the elite in the Southeast.

A short biography of Tommy Goff's life can be found at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame site. Everyone who knew Mr. Goff would certainly be able to add to this biography with their own stories of how this incredible teacher touched their lives.

Thanks to some special folks whose vision for the future included a reverence for the past, a very complete set of recordings of the Auburn High School Band through the years is available. Whether you listen to all of the "snap, crackles, and pops" in this recording of Army of the Nile from the 1959 State Band Contest, Rocky Point Holiday from three decades later, the band's rendition of Victory at Sea, or any of the multitudes of standards from the band literature, you are sure to enjoy the experience.

In this life, there are givers and there are takers. Tommy Goff was definitely a giver. Mr. Goff passed away this past Thursday. He will be missed.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Thanks for sharing that. I can still remember him calling me "Lightning".

He would say, "Show 'em how it's played, Lightning" in band rehearsal. My beat was so slow I could play every 1/16 note like they were 1/4 notes.

John Locklin
Technology Coordinator
Talladega City Schools; 2:19 PM

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