Nathan Haymer is back in a college band room — and this time, it’s at Alabama A&M University.

Alabama A&M University added Nathan B. Haymer, the former Southern University Human Jukebox director, to its band staff this week. Haymer announced the move himself in a Facebook post, calling it the start of “a new chapter” and thanking Alabama A&M Director of Bands William J. Young for the opportunity. Nathan Haymer’s hiring marks a significant return to HBCU band culture for one of its most recognizable — and most controversial — names.

Who Is Nathan Haymer

Haymer built his reputation as the leader of one of the most decorated and visible marching bands in the country. A Baton Rouge native, he taught himself trombone and rose through Southern University’s band program, eventually becoming Interim Director of Bands in 2014 after the retirement of longtime director Lawrence Jackson. At the time, Haymer called it the realization of a dream he had carried since middle school: leading the Human Jukebox, one of the most influential band brands in the nation.

That tenure came to an abrupt end in 2018.

What Happened at Southern University

Southern University terminated Haymer in April 2018 following an internal audit that found approximately $300,000 in band camp and other fees had ended up in his personal bank accounts. The investigation began after complaints that Haymer had sought kickbacks for the band’s appearances at events, including Mardi Gras parades, where he allegedly received more than $43,900 in payments from Mardi Gras krewes between 2015 and 2018.

In 2020, Haymer pleaded guilty to a federal embezzlement charge, admitting that he submitted at least 15 fraudulent invoices to Southern University for band expenses and kept the money for personal use. Federal probation officials estimated the actual loss to the university at $112,000, though Haymer pleaded guilty specifically to theft of approximately $30,000. In 2021, U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson sentenced Haymer to 13 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $78,690 in restitution, on top of more than $34,000 he had already repaid the university after his termination.

Judge Jackson, a Southern Law Center alumnus himself, did not hold back at sentencing. “You took advantage of Southern University and saw it as an opportunity to enrich yourself,” Jackson told Haymer. “Southern trusted you, but you betrayed Southern.”

A New Chapter at Alabama A&M

Haymer’s arrival in Huntsville comes during a broader transition for Alabama A&M’s Marching Maroon and White. The university announced in April that William J. Young would take over as Director of Bands following a national search. Young came to Alabama A&M from Southern University, where he served as Associate Director of Bands — and like Haymer, he is also a Southern alumnus and former member of the Human Jukebox. That gives the program two prominent staff members with direct ties to Southern’s band tradition, a connection that is difficult for SWAC band programs to ignore.

In his statement, Haymer leaned heavily on themes of accountability and gratitude rather than addressing the specifics of his federal case directly. “Today, I begin a new chapter,” Haymer wrote. “This opportunity means more than a new position. It’s a second chance to serve, to lead, to create, and to leave people better than I found them.”

He continued: “Life has a way of reminding us that every season has a purpose. Some seasons stretch you. Some humble you. And some prepare you for blessings you never saw coming.”

Haymer also thanked Young directly for the opportunity. “I’m incredibly humbled and grateful for the opportunity to join the Alabama A&M University family,” he wrote. “My sincere thanks to Director William Young for believing in me and trusting me with the chance to help build something special alongside an outstanding staff and talented students.”

A Story That Will Continue to Draw Attention

Haymer did not shy away from acknowledging that his path back into HBCU band culture comes with scrutiny attached. “I’m not coming with all the answers,” he said. “I’m coming with gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to pour into young people and honor the legacy of this program every single day.”

For a band community that takes deep pride in its traditions and the public trust placed in its leaders, Haymer’s hiring is the kind of story that will generate strong reactions on both sides. His musicianship and his impact on the Human Jukebox’s national reputation are well documented. So is the federal case that ended his time at Southern.

Both parts of that story now travel with him to Alabama A&M.