Here’s why O’Fallon’s beloved ‘Dr. G’ will be honored by a pop music legend next week

Melissa Gustafson-Hinds, the O’Fallon Township High School band director for 17 years, was contacted about an award for music educators sponsored by legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. While she thought it might just be a popularity contest, she went ahead with it for the school’s sake.

And she is now the St. Louis Manilow Music Project Teacher Award winner, which was publicly announced Monday.

Gustafson-Hinds, known as Dr. G to her students, and the high school, will split a $10,000 grant from the Manilow Fund. She will be honored by the longtime performer during his concert at Enterprise Center on July 25.

“This is definitely a cool thing. We’re excited,” Gustafson-Hinds said.

The high school will receive $5,000 in new band instruments for their school band and Gustafson-Hinds will receive a separate $5,000 cash prize.

The contest is part of Manilow’s Last, Last Tour and was created to support high school music teachers and bands throughout the U.S.

Multiple local high schools in each tour city submitted the names of their favorite music teachers and then voted to select the winner. Voting took place April 26-June 15.

Manilow, 81, said he launched this music project in response to a friend’s request for a saxophone for his high school daughter. He was surprised to discover that most public schools had suffered considerable budget cuts in their school music programs and that high school music teachers were taking part-time jobs just to raise the money to buy new drum sticks or a used trumpet so kids could play in the band.

Through his management company and community volunteers, the Manilow Music Project has gifted more than $10 million in instruments and scholarships to high school and college music students throughout the United States.

Manilow’s career has spanned seven decades, and he is known for his hit recordings of “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Copacabana,” “Looks Like We Made It,” and “Could It Be Magic.”

Details on the Manilow Music Project are online at manilowmusicproject.org .

“It’s great what he has done, and others, like Dolly Parton, who have the means, and they use them to help schools, and support these programs. They give back. It’s cool that they come full circle,” Gusafson-Hinds said.

Gustafson-Hinds said band staff, and close family and friends will accompany her to the concert. She wanted to acknowledge the contributions of assistant directors Philip Carter and Matthew Murphy, and administrative assistant John Langham.

“OTHS is a special school district, and O’Fallon is a special community. We would not be where we are without the support of the school, parents, boosters, and the community. O’Fallon is like a big small town, there is such an atmosphere of pro-school, and I am blessed to have developed all these lasting relationships here,” she said.

“I am proud to be part of their children’s education. They want the very best for their kids and it’s important that we give them the best experiences possible, so they learn to get along and be leaders. They learn to lean on each other and make all these connections,” she said.

Gustafson-Hinds said because the band program isn’t just a one-class experience, she gets to know families – the siblings, the parents – over time, which has become enriching.

“They trust us to look after their kids, and they also become part of the process. They’re the chaperones. We take eight school buses, a truck, and equipment, and it’s a big operation. It’s like running a small business. It’s a ton of cooperation, and they help us get to where we need to be.”

The band program currently has over 300 students participating, including 260 in the Marching Panthers, plus jazz band, pep band, and concert band.

Their reputation has soared, with strong showings in national parades and competitions. They have been invited three times to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and their most recent performance was in November 2023. They have marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on four New Year’s Days, with the last one in 2022. They were invited to three Orange Bowls and four Fiesta Bowls, among other high-profile events.

“It’s a big deal for us to be selected,” she said. “And in between, competing in state competitions and local parades.”

At the recent July 4th America’s Birthday Parade in downtown St. Louis, the band took home the top prize of Best Marching Band, with other honors for best music, best general effect, and first place in the Liberty Drum Challenge.

A group of nine OTHS musicians were selected to be part of the 2024 All-American D-Day Band this June. They traveled for 10 days and performed in the 80th Anniversary Ceremony & Parade for D-Day in Normandy, France.

In May, Gustafson-Hinds was awarded the prestigious Sudler Shield from the John Philip Sousa Foundation.

But seeing the students achieve success, however they measure it, and go on to use what they learned in band during their future careers, is extremely satisfying, she noted.

“We consider the work we do is to give them the best experience possible. So, they work hard to become the very best, and maybe in later life, they use those skills for their successes,” she said. “We also teach them to give back to the community whenever they can.”

As for the money, she said they are going to think about how best to use this gift in a lasting way.

“We’d like to do something that will stand the test of time,” she said.

In the meantime, band camp starts Monday, July 22, and they will start working on their half-time routine that becomes their show entry at competitions.

“We’re off to a wonderful start,” she said.