About the Goin' Band Association
Built on Tradition. Driven by Purpose.
For nearly four decades, the GBA has existed for one reason: to make sure the Greatest Band in the Land has everything it needs to keep being great.
Our Mission
"To provide support and resources that improve the quality and success of the Texas Tech University Goin' Band from Raiderland."
Everything we do — every membership, every donation, every event — serves that single purpose.
How it all started
In 1987, a group of Texas Tech band alumni made a decision that's shaped thousands of students' lives since: they would stay connected to the Goin' Band and actively give back to it.
What began as the Tech Band Alumni Association was a modest but passionate effort — a way for former band members to keep in touch, honor the organization that had shaped them, and establish a scholarship endowment for future students. The idea was simple: give back to the organization that gave you so much.
Over time, the reach of that mission expanded. The association grew beyond alumni to welcome band parents, lifelong Texas Tech fans, and community members who simply believed in what the Goin' Band represents. The name changed. The membership grew. But the purpose never wavered.
The Band Behind the Mission
The Goin Band From Raiderland
Established in 1925, the Goin' Band from Raiderland is the oldest student organization at Texas Tech University. Its more than 400 members represent nearly every major offered on campus — brought together not by their field of study, but by their commitment to excellence, tradition, and school spirit.
The Goin' Band has been responsible for some remarkable firsts in college band history: the first college band in Texas to have a halftime show broadcast on radio, the founding chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, and the first band to perform a halftime show in the Big XII Conference, among others.
Each member owns what Director Dean Killion famously called "a foot and a half of prime real estate" on the field. That phrase — coined during his tenure from 1959 to 1981 — still captures exactly what membership in the Goin' Band means: you have a place, a purpose, and a responsibility to the people standing next to you.
Nearly a Century of Support
Year
Milestone
1925
1937
1959
1981
1987
2025
The Goin' Band from Raiderland is established — the first student organization at Texas Tech University
"Fight Raiders Fight," the official TTU fight song, is arranged by two Kappa Kappa Psi members in a single fifteen-minute session
Dean Killion begins his legendary tenure as Goin' Band Director, coining the phrase "foot and a half"
Killion's era ends after more than two decades of shaping the band's identity and traditions
The Tech Band Alumni Association is founded — the organization that will become the GBA
The Goin' Band celebrates its centennial year. The GBA launches the Forward, March! Initiative to reach 1,925 members and a $1,000,000 scholarship endowment
What Makes the GBA Possible
Scholarships
Membership dues and donations go directly into the GBA Scholarship Endowment at Texas Tech University, supporting students who dedicate their college years to the band.
Resources & Equipment
The GBA supplements the band's operational needs — helping ensure students have what they need to rehearse, travel, and perform at the highest level.
Recognition & Celebration
From events to awards to the centennial celebration, the GBA makes sure the Goin' Band and its members are honored the way they deserve to be.