Daniel Walden is a big city boy with a heart for Small Town, America.

So, when he heard there was an opening for a band director at Goshen High School, he knew that’s what he wanted to do and where he wanted to be.

Walden is from the Birmingham area but he chose Troy University because of its highly acclaimed music department and the reputation the university has for producing successful band directors.

Walden earned his bachelor’s degree from Troy University and recently received his master’s degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

“I had fallen in love with the Troy area when I was at Troy University,” Walden said. “Although, I’m from a big city and was living in Baton Rouge, I saw the opening at Goshen as an opportunity to come to a small town and teach at a small school. A lot of my family lives in a small town in Tennessee and my heart’s always been in the small town. For me, the Goshen band director’s job was what I wanted. I was fortunate that the job opened up and that I was the one the board hired.”

The sense of community that is usually prevalent in a small town and the closeness of the people are the endearing qualities that Walden has found in Goshen.

“It’s the kind of community where I want be,” he said. “I’m living in Goshen and looking forward to being an active member of the community.”

But for Walden, it’s first things first. And, with football season right around the corner, putting together a halftime show for the Pride of the Purple and Gold Marching Band is the “first thing.”

“Right now, we’re almost at 40 band members and we’re adding some every day,” Walden said. “We’re working hard to get the halftime show on the field and expect to be ready by the first football game. The halftime show is important and that’s our focus right now.”

The halftime show will be a rocking one, literally, a 1970s Rock Show.

The halftime show will feature three songs, ‘25 or 6 to 4 Twenty Five Six Four’ by Chicago, ‘Fly Like an Eagle’ by the Steve Miller Band and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen.

“It will be a fun and exciting show,” Walden said. “The marching band will support the football team during the regular season by playing at the home games and traveling to all away games. And, we’ll be with the team in the post season as far as they go.”

Walden said his goal is to continually build the band program and to involve the students in all aspects of music.

“Band director is my title but I’m also a music educator,” Walden said. “I will be teaching the cultural aspect of music and the history behind music. Music is good for the students and it’s good for the community. I want the students to be involved in the community by participating in parades and other events. I want us to be a contributing part of the Goshen community and I’m really looking forward to the many opportunities that come with being the band director at Goshen High School.”

Walden describes himself as an outdoorsman who loves all sports and enjoys hunting and fishing.

“I’m that kind of guy and I believe that I’ve come to the right place,” he said.