Dr. William P. Foster

Marching Band Director
1919 - 2010

Inducted in 2003

Dr. William Patrick Foster, recognized as one of the world’s most renowned band directors, was the creator and band director of the internationally acclaimed Florida A & M University (FAMU) Marching "100" Band for over 50 years. His innovative approach to marching band entertainment resulted in his own unique style of band pageantry, which dazzled thousands and brought great recognition to the State of Florida. As an artist and an educator, Dr. Foster truly revolutionized marching band techniques and reshaped the perception of the art form.

Dr. Foster's FAMU Marching "100" Band has entertained audiences from all over the world. In 1989, the band was the official representative of the United States at the French Bastille Day Parade in Paris, which celebrated the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. The band has also appeared in films, commercials, presidential inaugurations, magazine and newspaper articles, and has been featured in over thirty nationally-televised programs. In 1985, the band received the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Trophy.

Others have recognized Dr. Foster's accomplishments in band direction and education. He is a member of the Hall of Fame for several organizations including the National Association for Distinguished Band Conductors, the Florida Music Educators Association and the Afro-American Hall of Fame, to name just a few. In 1994, he was elected president of the American Bandmasters Association and in 1996, the U.S. Congress approved Dr. Foster's presidential appointment to serve on the National Council on the Arts.

After retirement in 2001, Dr. Foster devoted most of his time to the William P. Foster Foundation. He also authored The Man Behind the Baton. Dr. Foster died on 8/28/2010 at the age of 91.