Lee Trawick
reporter2@riverbendnews.org
Wyatt Hudson-Lee will be returning to Columbia High School (CHS) in August with the prestigious experience of touring with the Seattle Cascades, a world class competitive junior drum and bugle corps based out of Seattle, Wash. Consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, electronic instruments and color guard, a drum and bugle corps is a marching band that performs in competitions, parades and many other events.
Hudson-Lee, son of Mayo native Holly Summerall, began playing the drums at 12-year-old, and has since grown into a prodigy who is arguably one of the best rack percussionists in the United States. This isn't surprising to his mother, as music has always brought joy to his heart. While most kids play to make noise, for Hudson-Lee, drums were a way to open his mind to things no-one else could understand. He can't explain why music makes perfect sense to him, all he knows is it just does. From that moment on, he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
Then, after watching his sisters participate in cheer and dance at high school football games, Hudson-Lee felt the need to be part of the Friday night action. However, when he became old enough to try out for the CHS marching band, he quickly found out football season did not last long enough to fill his thirst for music. He had to find another avenue to continue playing and learning; his passion for playing rack percussion grew through his quest for knowledge – not only for his instrument, but to better understand the cause and effect of music around him. Of course, to truly appreciate the arts, one must understand the craftsmanship and dedication it takes to turn sound into a beautiful piece that carries its own life.
Hudson-Lee began to quench his thirst by auditioning for Corp Atlas with the Winter Guard International (WGI), based out of St. Augustine, Fla., in 2021, their inaugural year. The group competed throughout the State of Florida and eventually earned top honors, winning the S
tate Championship in the Open Class with the WGI. Having a State Championship on his resume gave Hudson-Lee notoriety that put him on the map, along with the confidence to try out for one of the most prestigious drum lines in America: the Seattle Cascades.
In January 2023, after having built a foundation of confidence and experience, Hudson-Lee auditioned for a spot with the Cascades – the Northwest's oldest youth organization (founded in 1966) in pageantry arts. They compete nationwide, and their summer tour consists of visiting 22 cities across the United States. Although they have always been a world class drum and bugle corps, in 2000, they received their long over-due validation when they won the Open Class World Championships. What better way would there be for Hudson-Lee than to shoot for the stars and test his skills with such a high class corps?
Not only would he gain the opportunity of a lifetime, but also a major boost of self-validation when he was given a contract immediately after his audition to join and perform with their front ensemble and tour the country. Since, he has travelled all over the United States and performed under the direction of Percussion Director Mike Leone, who is also the Executive Director at the University of Oregon.
With such an experience under his belt, following high school, Hudson-Lee hopes to attend the University of Florida, where he hopes to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Music and Journalism. Then, after college, he hopes to test his skills yet again by aiming for a spot with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, a prestigious adult corps based i
n Canton, Ohio.
Hudson-Lee gives praise to the Cascades' Percussion Caption Supervisor, Micah Brussee and the Cascades' 2023 Corps Director, Ray Severns. In addition, he is forever grateful for his mother and step-father for the thousands of miles they have driven and flown to be by his side during this amazing opportunity.
“They have always wanted me to follow my dreams and, with that, I have been blessed to have met a lot of great and talented directors, starting with 'The Pride of Columbia County' under the direction of Mr. Jay Miller, WGI with Atlas Percussion out of St. Augustine band, and now to be a part of Drum Corp International with the Seattle Cascades based in Seattle, Wash., are things I’ve wanted to do since I was very little,” Hudson-Lee said. “I've ignored all of the doubters, the people that choose to pick fun, and just went with my heart. I thank God every single day for giving me my talent and the ability to do what I love most, and also just the opportunity to let me get better with every rep, every minute of every day.”
Hudson-Lee is known for writing percussion cadences for several high schools around North Florida. While his fame is soaring through the roof, he can often be found announcing Columbia County little league football games. In his senior season at CHS, he will also be the voice of the Columbia Tigers, with the exception of football games, as he will be on the field or in the stands performing every Friday night.