Drew (’03) and Ellie Holcomb (’05) will serve as grand marshals for the 2022 Homecoming parade.
Before they got married or performed for years together with the Americana rock group Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, Drew and Ellie Holcomb met as students at UT.
Nearly 20 albums later, including four solo albums from Ellie Holcomb and the couple’s recent duet album “Coming Home: A Collection of Songs,” released in January of this year, the pair is set to lead the 2022 UT Homecoming parade as grand marshals.
This year’s parade, like so much else at the university, is expected to be one of the largest ever.
Drew graduated from the College Scholars Program at UT in 2003. Ellie graduated in 2005 with a degree in English and again in 2006 with a master’s in secondary education.
In a statement to The Daily Beacon, Drew expressed his love for UT and referred to Tennessee’s triumphant defeat of Alabama at Neyland Stadium the day before homecoming began.
“My years in Knoxville as a student at UT were some of the most important of my life. I made lifelong friends, met my wife Ellie and started writing music and playing shows in Knoxville,” Holcomb said. “We are incredibly honored to be a part of this year’s Homecoming festivities, especially coming off of a generation-changing victory over Alabama last week. We can’t wait to celebrate with all our fellow Vols.”
On Friday, Oct. 21, the pair will lead the parade in the tradition of past grand marshals, including WNBA star and Time 100 honoree Candace Parker, student olympians and Del and Dane Bryant, sons of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, the writers of “Rocky Top.”
The parade will begin at 4 p.m. at Fiji Island and will travel to the Student Union Plaza. It will feature for the first time the Tennessee Walking Horse, as well as student-made floats.
After the parade, the Holcombs will perform live at the plaza beginning at 6 p.m. in a free concert hosted by the Campus Events Board (CEB). It is not the first time they have performed during Homecoming week. In 2016, they capped off the week with a performance at Market Square hosted by CEB.
Ellie has millions of followers as a solo Christian artist and no longer performs with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. She and Drew are set to tour as a duo for the second time in “The Residency Tour” beginning in February. On March 23-25, they will take the stage at the Bijou Theatre on Gay Street, which they have described as their favorite venue to play.
Tickets for the concerts are available for purchase online.
