Photo courtesy of UAB.
Hoover High alum Cameron Rodgers-Johnson recently graduated from UAB after serving as the drum major for the Marching Blazers.
At 23 years old, Cameron Rodgers-Johnson has learned that if success isn’t immediate — keep trying.
A 2020 Hoover High School graduate and recent UAB music education graduate, Rodgers-Johnson spent years auditioning for drum major roles before finally earning the title at UAB. Now, as he prepares to enter graduate school at LSU, he reflects on the lessons, setbacks and inspiration that shaped his journey.
“Just because something is hard doesn’t mean you walk away from it and quit,” Rodgers-Johnson said. “It simply means you try harder.”
Rodgers-Johnson auditioned for drum major each year in high school but was not selected. At UAB, he kept trying — and after multiple attempts, he was finally named drum major, a role he held for two years beginning in 2024.
“It was definitely hard to continue being told no over and over,” Rodgers-Johnson said. “You start to really doubt things and get in your head. Sometimes it is hard because when you start believing things you doubt then you really shouldn’t keep going. But I was determined to just keep trying.”
Rodgers-Johnson said he can now look back and see that a lot of the work and effort he put into becoming a drum major would not have been doable when he first wanted the position.
“If I had been drum major during freshman year of high school, I don’t think I would have been able to handle it,” Rodgers-Johnson said. “I think I would have been thrown into the fire and the fire might have burned me. Over the years, with the growth that I have made as just a person, I have been able to learn that in leadership, you don’t need a title to be a leader. I think it was definitely important for me to grow as a person and in the field of music before having the position of drum major, and I am able to see that now.”
Rodgers-Johnson began playing the trumpet in sixth grade and quickly developed a passion for music. At Hoover High, he performed in the marching, concert, jazz and show choir bands. He was also selected as a back field conductor during his freshman year.
Rodgers-Johnson credits his mom, Sybil Rodgers, with encouraging him to continue pursuing what he was passionate about over the years.
“There were a couple of times I would tell my mom that I wanted to quit because I wasn’t sure I was cut out for this,” Rodgers-Johnson said. “I knew I loved music, but there were times it was hard to keep going. My mom was the one who would encourage me to just keep showing up and pursuing what I wanted to do, and I am very thankful for her.”
Rodgers-Johnson said his first go as drum major at UAB was the perfect situation because he got to experience it with his two best friends.
“I knew I was going to audition one more time, so I had talked to one of my friends and said, ‘I am going to try this,’” Rodgers-Johnson said. “We talked to another friend and just said we would see how it goes. I remember getting the contract email when I was named drum major the first time and then my other two friends called me and said, ‘We did it.’ It really was the best experience to be able to do it together.”
Rodgers-Johnson said his second year as drum major was also a valuable experience, learning from peers and preparing him for graduation from UAB in May.
During his time at UAB, Rodgers-Johnson performed in the Symphony Band, Wind Symphony Concert Band, jazz combo, jazz ensemble and the Marching Blazers. He also won awards for music he composed and arranged — recognition that helped affirm his future path.
For him, music has the ability to tell a story.
“I think what I fell in love with early on with music is the power music has to convey emotions and drive viewpoints,” Rodgers-Johnson said. “I don’t think I internalized that as much as a kid, but as I have gotten older and attended various concerts, or even listening to music in the car, there is always a message behind what the artist or composer is trying to tell and that has always been fascinating to me.”
Rodgers-Johnson draws inspiration largely from classical music that is rooted in African American culture including jazz, hip-hop, rap and gospel.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to tap into what I want to do as a composer, and a lot of it comes from my roots in jazz, R&B and gospel music,” Rodgers-Johnson said. “Wynton Marsalis, Kevin Day and Marie Douglas are three people who have been very influential to me over time.”
Rodgers-Johnson will continue his musical journey this fall at LSU, where he will pursue a graduate degree in music composition. His long-term goal: to teach music at the collegiate level while also composing professionally.
