A life set to music: Friends, family salute Barb Rollins at USC Aiken
AIKEN - Decades of local performances, ministry and music education were in the spotlight June 6 at USC Aiken, with the Etherredge Center playing host to friends, family members and other well-wishers associated with longtime teacher and band leader Barb Rollins, for an afternoon concert and reception.
The South Dakota native, with Aiken connections reaching back to 1972, has played instrumental roles in founding or leading such organizations as the Aiken Community Band, the Aiken Area Akademie (AAA) Home School Band and South Aiken Baptist Christian School's band program, along with Aiken's National Day of Prayer events and gatherings for Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The trumpet has been her specialty since youth, but she has taught students on a variety of instruments over the decades, and joined her husband, Roger, a trombone player, in helping provide a soundtrack for hundreds of local events over 50-plus years. The Saturday event, with attendance estimated at 400-plus, was one of the larger gatherings.
"It was just wonderful," she recalled. "I cried on almost every song, because I just looked across and they're like my children. I taught them all, so... it was like a big family reunion, and then with 30 people from our family, it was just really amazing."
Members of the Rollins clan - including several performers - came to Aiken from such locales as North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and South Dakota.
Former Rollins student Isaac Parks, a percussionist who directed an original arrangement in the Saturday performance, said Rollins' passion is a major factor in her success - "just how much effort she's willing to put into someone or something."
He added, "She's not looking to get anything out of it, either. It's genuinely her just trying to help other people, so she'll work absolute overtime. She will help out people in any way she can, just to help them succeed."
The performance opened some creations that have become staples in gatherings for church and patriotic events, such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "America, the Beautiful," with direction by Rollins and some of her well-wishers, including T.J. Vining, David Nathan Vickery, Micah McNamee, Shane Bradford and Sarah Wittenborn.
Next were original arrangements by some of Rollins' former students, including James Rochester, D.J. Spence, Mallory Berley Williamson, Keri Truhe and Stephanie Threlkeld, and the finale focused on "celebrating the God who made it all possible," with "God Bless America," "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" and "God of Our Fathers."
The gathering also included a presentation of two resolutions from the state legislature. S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, handled the presentation and triggered a long round of applause in asking the audience to "let me hear you if you love Barb Rollins."
Both resolutions listed a variety of achievements and milestones. The Senate version, sponsored by Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, noted that the entity "recognizes Mrs. Barbara Rollins' extraordinary commitment to music, education faith and service; thanks her for her many decades of making a difference in the lives of others; and wishes her and her devoted husband Roger all the best in the years ahead."
The House version also cited Rollins' involvement in providing entertainment for the annual Aiken's Makin' event and for the One Table gathering that included Thanksgiving fellowship for several years, as well as serving as "a trumpet soloist at churches, weddings, funerals and numerous community gatherings."
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 5:59 AM.