The Band Dads Podcast
Band is more than music. It’s pressure, passion, leadership, chaos, life lessons, unforgettable moments… and a community unlike anything else.
The Band Dads Podcast pulls back the curtain on the world of marching band, concert band, music education, and the people who live it every day. Hosted by band dads — including a former band director bringing years of insider experience and perspective most parents never get access to — this podcast dives into the stories, challenges, victories, and culture that make band life so unique.
From rehearsals, competitions, road trips, fundraising, and late-nights in the band room to the decision-making, strategy, and behind-the-scenes realities of running a successful program, we explore the conversations happening both on and off the field. Leadership. Competition. Burnout. Growth. Success. Failure. Family. The emotional highs of performance and the hilarious realities nobody talks about enough.
Whether you’re a band kid, a proud parent, a music educator, or someone who simply loves hearing passionate people talk about the things that shape lives and build community, there’s something here for you.
New episodes feature honest discussions, interviews, deep dives into band culture, insider perspective, and plenty of humor along the way.
Because band isn’t just an activity. For many of us… it becomes part of who we are.
Contact us: feedback@banddadspodcast.com
https://www.banddadspodcast.com/
Episodes
46 episodes
Strategic Depth - Season 3 Recap
Season 3 was different.As Scott and Chris look back on another incredible season of the Band Dads Podcast, two words kept rising to the surface: strategy and depth.This season felt more intentional than ever before. Timely episode...
Bad Band Directors
This week, the Band Dads tackle a topic that might make some people a little uncomfortable… What do you do if you have a bad band director?Before anyone jumps to conclusions, Scott and Chris take a thoughtful and fair approach by breakin...
Offbeat: Percy Grainger
Welcome to Offbeat—a new Band Dads series where Chris and Scott go beyond the music to explore the fascinating, unusual, and sometimes downright bizarre stories behind the figures who shaped band, music education, and the art form we love.<...
Contest Season : Behind the Curtain
What Band Directors Face When It’s Just ThemEven when marching season may be over, the competition hasn’t stopped.This time of year, band programs shift into a world that many parents and even students don’t fully understand: con...
Carnegie Hall & Canceled Flights : NYC Travel Edition
Scott and Chris leave the confines the Scott Lang Library and take you with them to the heart of New York City—where towering skyscrapers, the energy of Times Square, and the buzz of 5th Avenue set the stage for a once-in-a-lifetime performance...
The Band Dads Get Boosted!
The Band Dads are on the other side of the mic!In this special bonus episode, Scott and Chris join Robin Eissler, founder and CEO of Booster Hub, as guests on The Boosted Volunteer Podcast. What starts as an interview quickly tu...
Leadership Season
It’s that time of year again—band directors everywhere are rolling out their processes for selecting student leadership teams for the upcoming fall season. The decisions made during leadership season can shape the culture, tone, and succ...
The Real Band Wives Part 2
The conversation continues…After the cliffhanger ending of Part One, the Band Moms are back with Libby Denny to finish the story—and this second half delivers in all the best ways.What begins as an honest look at the challenges of...
The Real Band Wives Part 1
The Real Bandwives – Part OneWhat’s it really like to be married to a band director?In this special two-part episode of the Band Moms Podcast, Shannon, Becky, and Leah welcome guest Libby Denny for an honest, funny, and eye...
Band Around the World
In Band Around the World, the Band Dads take a fun and educational journey to explore what band and music education look like across the globe. This episode was inspired by—and promised to—a listener in Dubai who is very much not a ...
Fill the Darn Chair: A Practical Guide to Recruitment & Retention
It’s that time of year again—students are choosing classes and schedules are being built for next school year. And whether a band program grows, holds steady, or struggles often comes down to what happens right now. This is the most critical wi...
The Band Dads: Greatest Hits (Vol. 1)
After a full year of conversations, laughs, debates, and unexpected moments, it was time to hit rewind.In this special “Greatest Hits” episode, the Band Dads look back on some of the most memorable moments from the first year of...
A Band Dad Christmas Special
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… unless you’re on the naughty list.In this special holiday-themed episode, the Band Dads get into the spirit of the season by sorting out who belongs on the naughty list and who earns a spot on th...
The Highest Bidder
What if band directors were treated like elite, in-demand coaches?In this thought-provoking episode, the Band Dads explore a bold idea using a comparison from the sports world. Lane Kiffin is a high-profile college football coach known f...
One Last Time - The Band Mom's Podcast
The Band Moms are back—and this week, it’s Becky’s turn in the spotlight. In this touching, funny, and deeply relatable episode, Shannon and Leah invite Becky to reflect on what it means to be the mom of a senior and to look back on the ent...
Myth Busters
It’s finally happening—the Myth Buster Episode has arrived! After promising in every intro that they’ll “debunk all the myths,” the Band Dads are officially making good on their word. In this first installment of what is sure to become a fan-fa...
The Ba(n)d Moms Podcast
The moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here — the very first episode ever of The Band Moms Podcast! Shannon, Leah, and Becky crash a Band Dads recording session, seize the microphones, and officially take over....
Finals Fever
It’s here, Championship Week! State Finals, BOA Grand Nationals, the biggest weekend of the marching band season is finally here, and the Band Dads are feeling the Finals Fever. In this episode, Scott and Chris sit down to talk t...
Defining Success
🎺 What really defines success in a marching band season?🥁In this episode of the Band Dads Podcast, Scott and Chris dig into that very question — are scores, tapes, and placements really the only way to measure success? Or is there...
So About That...
🎙️ It’s time to take a breath and catch up! In this episode, the Band Dads hit pause on the usual marching band madness and sit down to reconnect — with you, the listeners. For the first time this season, Scott and Chris dive in...
I Heard That!
Download Judging Cheat Sheet and Marching Band Judge Certificate here🎺 It’s competition season! The first performance is in the books — so how did the band do? What score would you
Seasons of a Season
After months of separation (and Scott’s excruciating longing), the Band Dads are finally back together again — no guests this time, just Chris and Scott doing what they do best: shooting the breeze about band, life, and everything in between.
Beyond the Music - Band Keeps Kids Safe
On September 10, 2025, the United States witnessed two unnecessary tragedies: the Evergreen High School shooting in Colorado and the fatal shooting of activist Charlie Kirk. That same evening, while already in the studio, the Band Dads pressed ...
Darrin Davis : From Camp to Competition
In this episode of the Band Dads Podcast, we’re once again joined by Darrin Davis — one of the premier minds in the marching arts, current DCI and BOA judge, and the former director of the four-time Grand National Champion Pride o...
Darrin Davis : From Design to Day One
In this episode of the Band Dads Podcast, our guest is none other than Darrin Davis, one of the most respected and influential minds in the marching arts — current DCI and Bands of America judge, and the former director of the legendary Pride o...