And now . . . “Virginia’s Finest” . . . the James Madison University Marching Royal Dukes!

That familiar announcement begins every performance as one of America’s premier college marching bands takes the field. From humble beginnings in 1972, the first year of JMU football, the Marching Royal Dukes (“MRDs”) has quickly become one of the largest and best-known college marching bands in the country.

With a membership of over 500 (since 2017), the MRDs have been the flagship ensemble for our comprehensive band program at JMU. Membership is open to all JMU students, regardless of major or status on campus. Our roster represents almost every department on campus and the profile is representative of the university with 75% in-state students and 25% out-of-state. As the largest and most visible student organization at JMU, it attracts some of the most talented young musicians and participants of the marching arts to its membership each year.

The band has forged an impressive reputation and rich tradition, evidenced by its resume of performances, appearances, exhibitions, and philanthropic endeavors – from Macy’s Parades to NFL games; Presidential and Gubernatorial Inaugurations to Bands of America Exhibitions; football stadiums to concert venues. The Marching Royal Dukes have established an important role as ambassadors of the university and community, representing the band program, university, and Shenandoah Valley regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Below is a summary of the program’s most notable performances, appearances, and recognitions from the past 5 decades . . .

1983               NFC Title Game Halftime Exhibition

1988              Bands of America Grand National Championships – Detroit, MI

1991               Bands of America Grand National Championships – Indianapolis, IN

1994               “Sudler Award” recipient

                        (JMU was the first non-Division I (then FCS) program to be recognized with this honor) 

1997               Presidential Inaugural Parade: Bill Clinton

                       First European Tour: France, Germany, Monaco, performed at the 700^th

                       Anniversary Celebration of the Grimaldi Family (audience: 80,000+)

 2000               Second European Tour: France, Austria, Germany, performed at the

                        Athen’s New Year’s celebration (audience: 500,000+)

2001               Presidential Inaugural Parade: George W. Bush

                        75^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

2002               Virginia Gubernatorial Inaugural Parade: Governor Mark Warner 75^th

2003               Third European Tour: Ireland, featured band for the Dublin New Year’s

                        Celebration (audience: 50,000+)

2004               NCAA Division 1-AA Football National Championship – Chattanooga, TN

2006               Virginia Gubernatorial Inaugural Parade: Governor Tim Kaine

                       Fourth European Tour: Ireland, featured band for the Dublin New Year’s Celebration                               (audience: 50,000+)

2007               MRD Drum Line featured in country artist Keith Urban’s “Love, Pain & the

                        whole crazy World Tour”

2008               USBands Virginia State Championship Exhibition – Virginia Beach, VA

                        82^nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

2009               USBands Northern States Championship – Allentown, PA

2010               Virginia Gubernatorial Inaugural Parade: Governor Bob McDonnell

                       Fifth European Tour: London and Paris, featured in the 25^th London

                       “Silver Anniversary” New Year’s Parade (audience: 75,000 +)

 2013            87^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

2014               Virginia Gubernatorial Inaugural Parade: Governor Terry McAuliffe

                       BOA Regional Exhibition – Monroeville, PA

                       Sixth European Tour: Italy, featured in the Rome New Year’s Parade and

                       the International Day of Peace Festival, performing in St. Peter’s Square at

                       the Vatican for the Pope’s New Year’s blessing (audience: 100,000+)

2016               USBands National Championship Exhibition – Allentown, PA

                       Virginia Music Educators Association State Conference, featured

                       performance with the Virginia Tech “Marching Virginians”

                       NCAA FCS National Championship – Frisco, TX

2018               92^nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

2020               NCAA FCS National Championship – Frisco, TX

2022               The Marching Royal Dukes’ 50^th Anniversary Celebration Season

                       Virginia Gubernatorial Inaugural Parade: Governor Glenn Youngkin

                       Performance with the 90’s rock band “Everything”

                       Seventh European Tour: 50^th Anniversary Tour of Italy with the MRD Alumni and,

                       performed in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the Pope’s New Year’s blessing

                       (audience: 100,000+)

2023               USBands National Championship Exhibition – MetLife Stadium, NJ

                        (audience: 30,000+)

                       Armed Forces Bowl – Fort Worth, TX (first JMU FBS bowl appearance)

2024               Boca Raton Bowl – Boca Raton, FL

Beyond the band’s excellent performance résumé, the Marching Royal Dukes organization has contributed locally and regionally to many causes in our community, including: The American Cancer Society through Relay for Life and the A.L.S. Association through their Marching for Hope Campaign. Recently they have raised over $25,000 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, $40,000 for the Virginia Special Olympics, and through their annual food drive, the MRDs donate between 1000 and 1500 pounds of food to their area food bank each the holiday season. In addition to the current membership’s efforts to serve and support our campus and community, our active MRD Alumni Chapter has recently completed several fundraising campaigns to create endowed scholarships for the band program and School of Music at JMU.

The band is supported by the Yamaha Corporation, Zildjian Cymbals, McCormick’s Enterprises, The Band Shoppe, Fred J. Miller, DeMoulin Uniforms, Sweetwater Sound, Pyware, and Ultimate Drillbook. They have been part of international advertising campaigns for several of those companies and have also published with the Warner Brothers and Hal Leonard corporations.

JMU Fight Song