On Tuesday, June 21, I joined approximately 850 people to celebrate Make Music Day, an international holiday that started in Paris, France — and to attempt to break a Guinness World Record.
Spicer’s Music brought together the community in an attempt to beat the "world's largest rock band" record. Auburn also became the first city in Alabama to celebrate Make Music Day.
The record was recently set at 953 by the Bejing Contemporary Music Academey in Tianjin, China on June 16th.
In total, the music academy had 349 singers, 154 guitarists, 151 drummers, 101 bassists, 100 keyboard players and 98 wind instruments.
Even though we didn't break the record, the Gay Street Municipal parking lot was filed with all sorts of people: from little girls strumming the banjo to bearded men, wearing their old "steal your face" caps, rocking out on the guitar.
“Music is meant to bring people together,” said Tim Spicer, event organizer, to the crowd.
Parents, children, band members, students and members of the community came together to volunteer, hand out water and to play Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama."
The lot was sectioned off in areas for vocals, drummers, acoustic and electric guitars, orchestra, keyboard and other instruments from washboards to harps.
“The event really showed what a beautiful community we have here at Auburn,” said Jackie Starck, an Auburn University student who participated in vocals.
Marco’s Pizza, an event sponsor, handed out free pizza to people at the event, and their mascot played along on the guitar.
When waiting to start, groups of musicians became new friends and jammed together to songs like “Last Kiss” by Pearl Jam and “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash.
“As soon as the first note of the song played, everyone’s face lit up,” said Austin Wilder, a community member and student who played the acoustic guitar in the event.
*Editor's note: This article has been updated for accuracy. A previous version stated that Spicer's had broken the record.
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