By Gail H.M. Brown, Ph.D.,
Contributing Writer,
Hundreds gathered in the field of Jim Hill High School (JHHS) Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 3 p.m. to reflect on the life and musical legacy of Christopher Little. They also celebrated his life with a balloon release.
Little died Sunday, Dec. 17 unexpectedly according to reports. Many who knew him said the news of his departure sent a shockwave of crying and other emotions around the City of Jackson and on social media, especially among his students.
Below Jackson Public Schools released a statement regarding his death:
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our dear Chris Little, who served as the esteemed band director at Jim Hill High School. Mr. Little left an indelible mark on countless lives through his passion for music. A distinguished former member of the JSU Sonic Boom Marching Band, he consistently inspired his students to achieve their best, demanding nothing short of excellence. His impact will endure through the numerous individuals he influenced within the Jackson Public Schools community and throughout the city of Jackson. To assist those in need, grief counselors are available on-site at Jim Hill High School to provide support during this difficult time.”
At Tuesday’s celebration, Principal Bobby D. Brown stood in the center of a huge circle of attendees holding a life-size display board with a collage of Little’s photos.
‘‘Little was a person who uplifted so many. He used music education to cognitively develop scholars but not only here at Jim Hill but also beyond,” Brown said.
Following Brown’s remarks, several students, former students, band parents, colleagues and others also shared fond memories of Little. Many became emotional but managed to compose themselves. One parent leader said they supported the band because they knew “Mr. Little could not do it all alone.”
In a tribute, Emmanuel Jackson shared: “Mr. Little, You were a beacon of light that is unmatched … I will never forget the lessons that you taught me over the years…And how much of a father figure you have been to me and many generations before me.” Jackson then led the band in a chant of its motto: “One Band, One Sound, One Family; Love the Band!”
Former Jim Hill Band Director Charles Bradley also paid tribute. “This is hard, but my God knows best,” Bradley said. “To have known Chris is to have known a young man who loved people.” Bradley is also credited with naming Little as his predecessor. “This guy spent a lot of time at Jim Hill molding his craft,” he expressed.
Retired Educator/Band Director Jennifer Lloyd of Hardy Middle School reflected on first meeting Little as a “little” lad running in the halls with others. She said she stopped him, and he looked up at her and became very humbled when she introduced herself as the band teacher.
“He lived with his grandmother [then], and had this sweet spirit about him. He was old school respectful like yes ma’am, no ma’am,” Lloyd said. She said he kept that respectful mannerism even up to the last time she saw him.
“He was always working towards something bigger and better, and it was always inclusive of the whole crew,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd served in Jackson Public Schools for 38 years.
Little, a Murrah High School graduate who attended the Academic and Performing Arts Center, had served as Director of Bands at JHHS for 14 years.
“He and I came to Jim Hill at the same time,” said Brown.
“He often shared with us how well our scholars’ development of musical talent [positively] impacted what they did in the realm of academia,” Brown said. “He would give me the statistics on the band students: 100% of the kids that were in band graduated from high school; 100% of scholars who were seniors for the past 13 years have received scholarships into college. He has taken kids who never played an instrument before high school, put them in the band, and four years later, you’ll see them in a college stand.”
JPS employee Stephanie Madison said Little’s life is a reminder to all the young people, and the adults, “to make sure that we are living a life where people can look at our life and say: Hey, I want to be someone that impacts the life of others.”
Little, a husband, and a father, earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Jackson State University in Music Education. According to Brown, he was also in the process of completing his dissertation for the Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of Mississippi.
According to the Mississippi Music Institute’s (MMI) website, “Under his direction, his bands have consistently received Superior and Excellent ratings at local and state marching and concert evaluations on both the middle and high school levels.”
Little was a cofounder of the MMI, a nonprofit which has provided young people in the Metro Jackson and immediate surrounding areas with rich and diverse learning experiences in the performing arts since 2011.
“I’m just overjoyed with how he inspired the young folk to be so resilient in today’s time. He was a giant…on a mission for greatness,” said Brown.
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