The Charles R. Stratford "Challenge Cup"

For 22 years Charles R. Stratford was the band director at Muscle Shoals High School. He started the band in 1965 with a $2,000 board allotment to purchase music and instruments. The band did not have a band room and practiced mostly in the gym vestibule and cafeteria. One year later they purchased uniforms and obtained a portable building for a band room. Mr. Stratford is responsible for the Muscle Shoals High School Fight Song, The Trojan March, and he wrote the school's alma mater.

Since the band's conception in 1965, Mr. Stratford began a string of success that lasted his entire tenure. During his service, the band received numerous honors, trophies and awards including the prestigious Performing Arts Abroad "Gold Medal of Excellence." He has traveled extensively with the band to contests and competitions throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. As conductor of the U.S. Collegiate Wind Band, he was awarded the Gold Medal at the World Festival of Music in Kerkrade, Netherlands. He developed a reputation of excellence in all that he did.

Mr. Stratford retired in 1987 but still continued to have a genuine interest in the band program at Muscle Shoals. He served on the Muscle Shoals City Board of Education, the Board of Directors for the Quad Cities Crime Stoppers, and the By-laws and Alert Committees for the Alabama School Boards Association. Mr. Stratford also served as the Alabama Representative for the Federal Relations Network in Washington D.C. He served as an alternate member for the National School Board Association meeting and as Past President of the Muscle Shoals Board of Education.

The Muscle Shoals Band Boosters has implemented a trophy in his honor...The Charles R. Stratford "Challenge Cup." The recipient of this award will be determined by averaging all of the captions included in a band's performance. The band with the highest overall average in all captions combined will be awarded the "Challenge Cup." The band must return the "Cup" before the next competition unless they win it three (3) times. If a band wins the "Cup" three times then it will be retired to them to keep permanently.

Thanks to Mr. Charles R. Stratford for all that he did to further the musical education of students at Muscle Shoals. It is a real honor for us to be able to recognize his contribution to the band world and the lives of thousands of young people in this way.

On December 28, 2006, Mr. Stratford passed away.  To honor him, the family has chosen to give a scholarship to the Muscle Shoals Education Foundation to be presented to a band student that exemplifies the traits that Mr. Stratford taught his students….A love of music, a servant to others, and a love for the band. If you would like to contribute to this scholarship, please send your donation to:

The Charles Stratford Memorial Scholarship

Debbie Bradford
Muscle Shoals Education Foundation
3200 South Wilson Dam Road
Muscle Shoals, AL  35661

Call (256) 389-2698 for more information.