Sam, sax go to state

From the time she was young, Samantha Williams has enjoyed music. Now, a senior at Pea Ridge High School, her love of music - combined with her dedication to practice - has earned her a spot to try out for the All-State band. She made All-Region Band recently in competition in Mountain Home and was to try out for All-State at Henderson State College this weekend.

“I’m really excited about it,” Williams said about going to Henderson State to try out.

“She’s the first person I’ve had qualify to try out,” Matt McCool,band director, said.

“She has very good musical ability. She puts forth the effort to really learn to play. She learned a lot last year in my AP Music Theory class.”

“She’s been a great student all the way through band,” McCool said of Williams.

Williams began playing a clarinet in the junior high school band, but then wanted to be in the jazz band so picked up an alto saxophone.

“They needed a tenor,” she said, smiling. Later she picked up a “bari sax.”

“You can kind of express yourself,” Williams said of music, “it’s like words you can’t put into words.”

Williams, 17, the daughter ofJohnny and Darcy Williams, said her mother was in the band.

Currently taking culinary art classes at NorthWest Arkansas Community College and wanting to minor in music, Williams said she enjoys both areas of study.

Williams is a member of the National Honor Society, was in Quiz Bowl, and is a member of the Girl Scouts.

She is the granddaughter of Doug and Rozella McKinney and great-granddaughter of Fred and Mabel McKinney, all of Pea ridge and Sharon and Herschel Martin of Bentonville. She is a member of the color guard, the concert band and the jazz band.