‘Million Dollar’ Birthdays: Grandmother, Grandson Play in UA Band

‘Million Dollar’ Birthdays: Grandmother, Grandson Play in UA Band

By Jamon Smith

Faye Black and her grandson, Ethan Standard

It had been 62 years since Faye Black, an alumna of the 1955 Million Dollar Band, had stepped onto the field of Bryant-Denny Stadium at The University of Alabama.

But on Sept. 16, as the gates swung open and a stadium of more than 100,000 roaring fans came into view during halftime at the Colorado State game, Black marched onto the field once again performing with the Million Dollar Band as part of its Alumni Band, which performs once a year.

It was the day after her 80th birthday, and three days before her grandson, Ethan Standard, celebrated his 20th birthday. Standard, who plays the snare drum in the Million Dollar Band, performed with her.

That day could not have been more special for the two Homewood natives, they said.

“When I walked on the field it was amazing, oh my word!” Black said. “The sound was just magnified. The sound bounces off the sides of the stadium.

“When they opened the gates and said come in, it was like a huge crowd hiding in the dark to surprise you for your birthday. I was like, ‘wow, I am on the field! I am in the Million Dollar Band!’ I just wanted to yell it was just so fun.”

Standard, a sophomore majoring in general business and minoring in music, said it was memorable and crazy – in a good way – to celebrate their birthdays by performing together at an Alabama football game.

“The fact that she wanted to come down the day after her birthday and spend it with me is very special,” he said. “Any time with her I’m very grateful for. She is the best grandmother in the world.

“It was just super special seeing her performing in the band again and doing it with her.”

Playing the bell lyre, an instrument that hasn’t seen use in the Million Dollar Band in about 40 years, Black said she was excited, nervous and determined not to mess up. The bell lyre has a very high pitch, and one missed note would have resounded over the entire field, she said.

From all accounts, she performed excellently, and attracted a lot of attention from people who had never seen the instrument before.

“She did a great job,” Standard said. “Everyone was like ‘what in the world are you playing?’ She was like ‘it’s a bell lyre. The instrument that’s on the logo of your MDB shirts.’”

Black said she was only able to practice for three days prior to the Colorado State game because the band couldn’t find a bell lyre for her to practice with. They ended up finding one at a junior college that was selling its old instruments.

“It was great to be back in the band,” Black said. “It’s not just the pride of doing what you once did, but doing it better. I wanted my grandson and UA’s music school to be proud because the music school at UA does such a great job.”

Black graduated from UA in 1963 with a bachelor’s in music education. She was part of the band in 1955 but transferred to Samford University before graduating.

After meeting her husband at Samford, they married in 1959 and moved to Tuscaloosa to complete her degree and his doctorate. He taught at Tuscaloosa High School and directed the UA male chorus and University Chorale.

She finished her degree and taught incoming music students the University’s alma mater as well as the fight song for four years.

They later went back to Samford where he became dean of the school of music and Black earned a master’s degree in administration. She taught music at the college and in Vestavia schools for 37 years.