Break Ranks, hosted and produced by Bands of America’s Dan Potter, brings you the latest from the BOA Championship season! Each episode explores different angles of marching band with a variety of guests and interviews, offering an insider’s perspective for students, parents, teachers, administrators, and fans alike.

New episodes every Wednesday during the BOA season.

Dan Potter (Tulsa, Oklahoma) is an award-winning journalist and radio host involved in marching bands and drum corps for over 40 years. He is an announcer and media personality for Bands of America and Drum Corps International and hosts popular marching arts podcasts, including BOA’s Break Ranks!

Episode 1: Sweetwater – Jennifer Witt & Cristian Good

Our inaugural episode of the 2026 season of Break Ranks features Dan Potter’s interview with Jennifer Witt, Director, Institutional Marketing, and Cristian Good, Sales Engineer, both members of the Sweetwater team. Plus, hear the “voice of BOA” Chuck Henson chat with Richard L. Saucedo about Bands of America’s amplification philosophy.

Episode 2: The Band Mom

This episode of Break Ranks features Sharon Boyd, also known as “The Band Mom” on social media. Sharon and Dan chat about how she gained a following on social media, her family’s own marching band experiences, and some of her most memorable moments as a band mom and fan. Plus, hear Chuck Henson’s interview with Anthony Darnall, Director of Bands at the newly-consolidated Christian County H.S., KY.

Episode 3: Heat Safety – Spencer Adkins & Kevin Kloesel, PhD

This episode of Break Ranks features Spencer Adkins, Chief Meteorologist at WOWK-TV and contract meteorologist for Bands of America events, and Kevin Kloesel, PhD, Event Safety Meteorologist. The two meteorologists discuss with Dan the importance of heat safety in marching band. Learn what a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature measure is, how acclimatization affects the ability to tolerate heat, and why heat safety matters for musicians and spectators alike. Plus, hear Chuck Henson’s interview with Gerry J. Miller, Directory of Fine Arts at Coppell ISD, TX, on how Texas bands have adjusted their procedures to comply with UIL policies and increasing heat waves.

Episode 4: Jefferson H.S. – Scotland Exchange Program

This episode of Break Ranks features Jefferson H.S., GA, a school that has a long-running Scotland Exchange Program that, this year, happened to intersect with Bands of America. Hear Dan talk with Jefferson director Nick Golding and students Lily Chambers and Lily Knight about their experiences in Scotland this past summer, while Chuck speaks with their Scottish counterparts– Hermitage Academy P.E. teacher Fraser Ward and students Emily, Lauren, and Lorna–about their recent time in the United States and at the BOA Chattanooga Regional Championship!

Episode 5: Clubhouse Trailers

This episode of Break Ranks features Dan’s interview with Tyler Hadley, Vice President of Operations, and Connor Martin, Customer Experience Manager at Clubhouse Trailer Company. From its humble beginnings with a single trailer for Edmond Memorial H.S. to the hundreds of trailers they have built since then, learn about Clubhouse Trailers and how they became the country’s premier marching band trailer provider. Additionally, hear Chuck Henson speak with Maddie Cain-Guthridge, Assistant Director of Bands at Maize South H.S., KS, whose band just received their first Clubhouse Trailer. And don’t miss a recap of week 5, including the first Super Regional Championship of the year! 

Episode 6:

This episode of Break Ranks goes behind the scenes with Dan at the St. Louis Super Regional Championship. He talks with the unsung heroes of any Bands of America event–the parking team. Hear some tricks of the trade from event staff members Joe Heuchan and Joel Johnson. In addition, hear Chuck Henson speak with Tyler Belliston and Amber Rak-Kaufmann, drumline directors at Central Visual and Performing Arts H.S., MO, an arts magnet high school in St. Louis Public Schools. Plus, you’ll also learn about the musical plant that Bentonville H.S., AR, has in their show, from director Tim Hendrix and pit member/monstera player Dakota Deaton.

All caught up with the 2026 season? Go back and relive the 2025 season through previously released Break Ranks episodes! Featuring interviews live from the St. Louis Super Regional Championship, Bentonville H.S.’s uniform parents, BOA legend Chuck Henson, and more.

All caught up with the 2025 season? Go back and relive the 2024 season through previously released Break Ranks episodes! Featuring interviews from directors of Grand National Championship bands, the BOA chief judges team, and a variety of world-class marching arts designers, backwards march into 2024 and hear some great conversations that will help you today.

All caught up with the 2024 season? Go back and relive the 2023 season through previously released Break Ranks episodes! Featuring interviews from directors of Grand National Championship bands, the BOA chief judges team, and a variety of world-class marching arts designers, backwards march into 2023 and hear some great conversations that will help you today.