In the late 90's the Greenwood band set the bar to which the current bands are measured against. Once emblazoned on the band equipment semi-trailer livery of blue horizontal stripes on a white background "The Pride of Western Arkansas", the award-winning Bulldog Band dazzled fans all over the state and included a trip to Washington D.C.
It is the night before the State Championship, Band Director Devin West is perched in the Smith-Robinson Stadium press box. "Let's go 51 to 58 plus 1. Two reps and then we have to move on." he calls out like a Coach. To which he looks like a Coach, more so an offensive line coach than a band director. "We are trying to get to the next level with this band. We want them to compete and be on the level of success as the other activities in the school." Director West said.
For this article Resident News reached out to former band members to get stories of what it was like during the Monty Hill years. During that time, football was just starting their rise as a yearly contender going to their first state championship appearance in 1996. Baseball, Softball, Boys and Girls Basketball also made state championship appearances. Band was beginning to become a monster in its own right at the time. The band tractor-trailer was one of the first in the state, but a much-needed addition. “When that truck pulled into a contest site, it turned heads.” One former band member said. Now newly wrapped sitting behind the Performing Arts Center where it has become its permanent home. “It’s unfortunate that it’s grounded and will never move again.” Band Director Devin West said. “The trailer, the cross members were rotted out. So, we don’t have a band trailer anymore. We just got to get box trucks.” A symbol of what was once a band’s superiority, left to the elements, but now an example of the current direction. Just like the trailer, the band is in a restoration of sorts.
The name “Title Town” is moniker that is self-proclaimed and mentioned widely when talking about stick and ball sports. But within the band room, inside of the Performing Arts Center, sits a trophy identical to the ones hoisted throughout the school year by the school sports. 2025 Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association State Sweepstakes for the Wind Ensemble. The school’s first of hopefully many state championships for Greenwood Band.
Devin West came to Greenwood on a phone call from former High School principal Josh Ray and current principal Jared Meyers. “They called me and they said, ‘Hey, we know your established at Pottsville, but we have a really good opportunity here, and we think that you’d be very interested. Would you come look at it.’” Director West said. “I immediately said no. I was in a really good position at Pottsville. I had a 120 plus in the High School band, this was at a 4A school.” Pottsville High School, just east of Russellville, won a state championship in band during the 2024 season, the fall after Director West’s departure. After the persistence of friends’ advice, Director West finally gave in. It was something Superintendent John Ciesla said that made the choice stick for Director West, “He actually called me back in for a second interview, because he said, ‘You know, you keep using this word I. And you got to realize that if you come to Greenwood, it’s we.’” Director West recalled. “It’s not about me, it’s about the G. And whenever he said that I remember looking at him and I could just tell he meant every word of that.”
During Devin West’s first year at Greenwood there were highs and lows. New school, new way of thinking, but on December 26th tragedy would once again fall upon Greenwood. Cadence Walters and her sister Chole Walters were involved in a car accident. Cadence, a member of the Greenwood Band, passed away. Chole, a member of the Greenwood JROTC, succumbed to her injuries on January 1st. “Cadence was a good kid.” Director West said. “No, Cadence was a great kid. Carlie [younger sister] is in band and her younger brother Carson, is in band. Carlie is a freshman, and Carson is in seventh grade.”
“We were at the Cabot Marching Invitational; I chewed her up-and-down one side the other.” Director West said remembering a moment. “Teenage girl and color guard and all this stuff. I read her the riot act, and I just said, listen, we’re going to behave in a different way. After that, me and her became buddies. She was like, ‘Thank you for being real and keeping it real Mister West. I appreciate you.’”
“Man, it was hard. Hardest day of my life, was the memorial that we had here in the band hall.” Director West said. “And once again, John [Ciesla] helped out with that a lot as the first kid I’ve ever lost in the moment.”
Out of a tragedy, a team or group always wants to find the best way to honor those that have fallen. For Greenwood Band, Cadence will forever be remembered on the State Championship rings for Wind Ensemble. “The State Championship ring up there has yellow around the border. We won that State Championship with the color guard and indoor points.” Director West said. “Paid a guy a lot of money to make a really, really good show. That would honor her and all the stuff, and her favorite color was yellow.”
This fall’s halftime show, “God Made a Farmer” has a subtle tribute to Cadence, that almost did not happen. There were to be custom flags with a touch of yellow to honor Cadence, but supply chain delays and tariff issues caused the material to not arrive in time. A call was made to several bands to find flags for the color guard to go with the farmer theme, enter Bentonville High School. Bentonville sent their sunflower flags to help Greenwood. “They did a sunflower show two years ago, which is why that kind of fits, and it’s yellow.” Director West said with a smile. “Cadence would not be denied. It’s her senior year, and she was going to be on that field.”
There is a direction for the Greenwood Band, in Devin West’s first stops at Gurdon and Pottsville, the Henderson State graduate had them at the top of their classification. At those schools it was not an overnight change and nor will it be at Greenwood. This year the band finished 7th at the marching band state championships, held at War Memorial. A place synonymous with Greenwood success. When asked what the highest the marching bands achieved at state, Director West replied with a laugh, “Guess what their lowest is going to be moving forward. Seventh.”
When you look at the landscape of faculty across the Greenwood campus, there is a common theme from the classroom to the field, to the Performing Arts Center. It is this sense of wanting to continue the success that has been built. For Greenwood Band, it’s Director, Assistant Directors, band members, and school administrators. It is getting back to the standard.
The Pride of Western Arkansas.