Dennis Cox is the Director of Bands for the Desoto Central Schools. Raised in Columbus, Mississippi, he is the son of a career high school band director. From the time he was five years old, he began following his father around to band competitions and halftime performances. From these experiences, a lifelong love of music and education was naturally born. After graduating from Columbus High School, he attended Delta State University before completing his music education degree at Mississippi State University. While at MSU he marched and played trumpet in the Famous Maroon Band. He also spent one grueling summer as a member of the Memphis Blues Drum and Bugle Corp competitive marching band. He comes to Desoto Central after directing several championship band programs in the Mississippi high school system. Mr. Cox also serves as a consultant to marching band programs at the collegiate level. He lives in Hernando, MS and has two children, Gowen and Molly.

Heath Hopper is in his 3rd year with the staff at DCHS, and shares some common history with one other staff member. As a student at South Panola high school, he played baritone under the leadership of a young band director by the name of Dennis Cox. Heath’s own experience as a high school band member led him to pursue a career in music. After receiving his bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Mississippi, Heath moved on to Florida State University where he earned a masters degree in Instrumental Music Education. Not satisfied with mere class work during this time, he also spent four summers performing in the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (’93 -’96). His love of marching has led to a part-time career as instructor for several DCI bands around the country including Magic of Orlando, Phantom Regiment, Corpsvets and The Bluecoats. Before coming to Desoto Central, he first taught band at Olive Branch Middle School, then moved to Cobb county Georgia to instruct at Campbell High School and South Cobb High School. He and his wife Varina live in Hernando with a Jack Russell terrier named Bruce and their daughter, Samara.

Mike Doss is a graduate of Memphis State University (BA ’88 MBA ’92) where he participated as a snare drummer in the Mighty Sound of the South marching band. He also worked as a marching percussion technician from ’91 to ’93 with the marching drum line and competitive PASIC indoor drum line. He has been a percussion instructor and arranger for a multitude of superior rated high school and college drum lines including the University of Memphis, Delta State University, South Panola High School, and Southaven High School and has served as an adjudicator and consultant for numerous other marching band programs. Mike most recently worked as a consultant and recruiter for the Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps, and Director of the DC Accent competitive indoor Drum Line and Winter Guard program of Desoto County.