A Tribute to Musician and Educator – Rodney “Mr. D” Lewis Dasinger
Rodney L. Dasinger, band director of Rutherford High School from 1981 to 2009, passed away at the age of 65 in December of 2011. “Mr. D”, as many affectionately called him, was highly respected and loved by his students, colleagues and friends. He was admired not just as a musician but as a motivator. On December 17, 2013, the Rutherford High School band room was officially dedicated to Mr. D in a ceremony attended by his widow and wife of 45 years, Laurie Dasinger, Many of his students, colleagues, friends and fellow band directors and musicians, paid tribute to Mr. Dasinger in an evening of musical performances and emotion-laden speeches. The band room is now named the Rodney Lewis Dasinger Rehearsal Hall.
Mr. Dasinger was a member of Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmasters Fraternity, and was also a member of the American School Band Directors Association. For more than 20 years, he served on the Florida Bandmasters Association State Adjudication Committee which judges the performance of bands. He consistently led Rutherford High School’s band to Superior ratings, whether in intricate, musical marching band programs or challenging concert performances. The band won First Place at the Dogwood Arts Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee for several years. The band also rated Superior at the National Adjudicators Invitational Dixie Classic Festival in both Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
His admirable qualities are best seen through the comments of many of his colleagues and former students. quite a few were inspired to pursue a career in music and still use their musical training to enhance the music scene in Bay County today. Besides his efforts to provide high quality musical education, Mr. Dasinger’s integrity stands out.
“As band director at Everitt Middle School (1985-94), a feeder school for Rutherford, I got to know Rodney very well and was often working and traveling with his bands. He taught me much that I could not have learned even in college. He loved to teach music, and he was always an inspiration to his students and young band directors,” remembers Jeff Tinch, Class of 1980, BME, Music Minister of The Rock of Panama City and member of the local band Go Big or Go Home.
“I learned more about being a band director and a teacher from Mr. D than I did in four years of college,” recalls Jetaime Walsingham, Class of 1990, BME, Everitt Middle School band director, 1995-1999, and now a 4th grade teacher. “Even now, there are times when I hear his voice in my head, giving advice. He cared deeply about the success of each and every band student. Despite Mr. D’s gruff demeanor, he had a very tender heart toward his students, present and former. He cared so much that he continuously tried to motivate us to be the best we could be. He wasn’t content with the best we THOUGHT we could be; he would push us beyond what we thought was possible. I know that he was an invaluable influence on my life. I would not be the person I am today without the motivation Mr. D gave me to always try to be better. I have a feeling that many of his students, whether they continued on in music or not, would say the same.”
Brian Jones, DMA, Class of 1984, now 1st Sgt., 257th Army Band District of Columbia National Guard, says, “Mr. D’s philosophy was to create student leaders, build self-reliant young men and women, instilling a sense of personal responsibility for yourself, your fellow students, your section and the success of the band. His medium just happened to be music. A case in point: a few years after I graduated, I learned that the Rutherford Band was involved in a pretty serious bus accident on the way back from an out of town football game. I also learned that the student leaders marched the band off the bus and kept things in such control that Mr. Dasinger and the chaperones were able to take care of all the other logistical issues quickly and efficiently.”
“He taught precision and attention to detail. Regardless of whether it was the way the musical score was played, the way the band marched on the field or the way we stood at attention waiting when we thought no one was watching. He also taught self- ownership of one’s responsibilities. As drum major, he challenged me in this aspect, but then allowed me room to take ownership and execute those responsibilities without micromanaging. Now, 23 years later, I can say without a doubt, his influence helped me grow and be ready to accept the challenges ahead. It was during my time with Mr. D that I realized I had a passion for leadership and helping a collection of individuals rise to perform is more than just the sum of their individual efforts. From my success in college, to my experience as a Naval Submarine Officer and now leading a high energy, complex business team – his influence has remained with me to this day,” comments John G. Mix, Class of 1991, BSME, MBA, Platform Manager of Residential HVAC Systems, Carrier Corporation.
Rutherford High School named a band hall after Rodney Dasinger, but his real legacy is three decades of positively influencing successful, respected and dedicated men and women.
By Linda Mix