The retirement of the current band director means a changing of the guard for the New Boston High School Stride with Pride Military Marching Band.
“It’s going to be fun, but there’s a challenge for sure. They are some big shoes to fill. But who’s on the podium isn’t the band. The band, the tradition is the kids,” Aaron Holt said.
Holt was announced as the newest director of bands to fill the void left with the upcoming retirement of Charlie Melton. Holt will take the reins for the 20252026 season. He joined the band director family in 2009 when he was hired to direct the seventh grade band. He became the assistant director at the high school in 2019.
“Big shoes, but not just my shoes. Think of the people that came before … The band directors that have come through here have been incredible,” Melton said.
Melton began his career at New Boston Independent School District as an assistant band director for the middle and high schools in 1993. He became the head middle school band director in 2002. In 2017, Melton assumed the position of head band director at the high school.
“I never thought I could fill the role of James Coff-man or Richard (Lovelace) or even Margie (Manning),” Melton.
In his 32 years at NBISD, Melton said he has built relationships that feel more like family with his students.
“The family atmosphere, the relationships we get to build when we see kids for seven years is unlike any other teaching job. I think I’m going to miss that the most,” Melton said. “My wife calls them her kids, and she’s right. They are our kids. Seven years is a long time to be in something. It’s a cool thing the relationships we get to build.”
Melton said through those relationships, he has enjoyed seeing the successes of his former students as they build careers of their own.
“We see these kids be successful in life, and we had a small part in that. That’s the cool thing, that’s why we do this,” he said.
One of those successes is Holt himself.
Holt is a 2002 graduate of NBHS and performed in the marching band.
While a student, he studied music under former NBHS band directors Coffman, Lovelace and Manning as well as Melton.
“They knew me as a student and then as a coworker. There’s not a whole lot of directors who can say that,” Holt said. Having studied under and worked with the last four band directors, Holt said his directing style is influenced.
“You don’t realize what you learn from people until they move on. My ear as a band director was formed by James and Richard and Margie. And I hope that I’ve left a part of myself in this place. All of our DNA is in here somewhere,” Melton said.
In his final year as band director, Melton saw a 35-year-long streak of sweepstakes wins come to an end.
“I told the kids, the only way I would be disappointed in them is if they didn’t learn what needs to be done in order to do that, what could we have done better. It’s just a word, ‘streak.’ All streaks end at some point,” Melton said.
But he said the support of the community, band parents, administration and school board has been the chief reason for the successes that allow the band to “stride with pride.”
“Without that atmosphere here, that expectation, things like that streak don’t happen,” Melton said. “So much goes into making a successful program, it’s not just the person standing on the podium.”
Holt said he is excited to continue leading the band in a positive direction.
“My goal is to have the best band out there on the field or best band on the stage that they can possibly be,” he said.
Melton officially retires at the end of the school year after 32 years with NBISD.
“It was an incredible privilege. It’s a cool thing to be a leader of an organization that is so storied, such a tradition going back to Eldon Janzen. It’s been fun but I’m looking forward to the next step for sure,” Melton said.
That next step, he added, will be traveling the country with his wife Adair.
“We bought a travel trailer. Our first trip is going to happen at the beginning of the school year. When they’re starting their stuff, we’re going to travel east for about 30 days and just see the country,” Melton said.
“I’m looking forward to not being tied down. I want to go up into New England and see the leaves change. I want to go to the Pacific northwest and California, those things that I haven’t been able to do. But I’ll always be a phone call away like Richard was for me, or Margie was for me,” he added.
Holt said seeing Melton step down is bittersweet.
“He’s not a coworker … We became good friends and basically family. I’ve seen him more than my wife,” Holt said. “I’m happy for him, but at the same time I’ll miss that relationship. I know he’s just a phone call away but it’s not the same thing as seeing each other everyday and getting to cut up and joke or whatever to bring the stress level down. He’s more than just a coworker, we’ve become family and friends.
“But I’m happy for him because I know how much time he and Adair have put into this and now to have this chance to go out and travel and do the things they want to do … It’s well deserving after 32 years. That’s a long time.”
